CANAAN — A 37-year-old Lyme man suffered a gunshot injury on the first day of pheasant hunting season Wednesday morning, according to New Hampshire Fish & Game.
Joshua Perrone was in an area of thick vegetation when members of his hunting party “unknowingly partially encircled an area of dense cover in an attempt to harvest a pheasant that was hiding in the thicket,” Fish & Game said in a news release.
When the pheasant emerged and took to the air, one of hunters in the party fired a single shot that resulted in “multiple pellets” flying past the pheasant and striking Perrone, who received “multiple, non-life threatening wounds,” Fish & Game said.
The hunting party quickly converged on Perrone to render him first aid and called 911. Perrone and the party walked to where they had set out for the hunt and were met by an ambulance, which transported him to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center for treatment.
Pheasant hunting season in New Hampshire runs from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. This season 10,000 adult ring-necked pheasants are being stocked in all 10 counties with an average of 130 pheasants per site, according to state authorities.
In addition to conservation officers, Canaan Ambulance, Canaan police, Enfield police and N.H. state troopers responded to the incident, which Fish & Game said it is continuing to investigate.
Perrone could not be reached for comment. The Fish & Game officer who responded was in the field on Friday morning and not immediately available for comment.