Hunter Recovering After Being Shot in the Back. . . By His Dog
OutdoorHub Reporters 11.02.18
Wait until you tell your hunting buddies about this crazy story! A New Mexico hunter is recovering after his hunting dog shot him in the back while sitting in his parked pickup truck.
Yes, you read that correctly, but Charlie’s still a good boy. That’s what his owner said after the incident, which will likely go down as one of the more bizarre stories you’ll ever hear.
Sonny Gilligan, 74, is a resident of Doña Ana County. He was out hunting jackrabbits with Charlie and his two other dogs Scooter and Cowboy in the desert west of Las Cruces when the freak accident happened.
As Las Cruces Sun News reports, Gilligan was in the driver’s seat of his truck with the dogs sitting in the back.
“Charlie got his foot in the trigger of the gun and I leaned forward and he slipped off the seat and caught the trigger – and it shot,” Gilligan said. “It was a freak accident but it’s true, that’s what happened.
The shotgun – which probably should have been in some kind of case and definitely unloaded before put in the truck – fired through the front driver’s seat and struck Gilligan in the back. He suffered a few broken ribs, a shattered collar bone and some other “severe injuries.”
“I was very fortunate I could get to my phone,” Gilligan said. “The DASO (Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office) first-responders saved my life. If they waited 10 more minutes I would’ve died. I lost so much blood. I know I actually passed to the other side just before getting to the hospital but they were able to revive me through CPR and bring me back. I have so much appreciation to the doctors and first-responders who saved my life.”
As far as Charlie, Scooter and Cowboy go, well, they were sent to “doggie jail” – the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley – following the shooting. Not to worry though, as Gilligan said his son was able to “get them out on bond,” he said jokingly.
All in all, it sounds like this story has a good ending, but if you or any of your friends hunt with dogs, here’s another reason why it’s a good idea to have them ride secured in a kennel or dog box. And folks, don’t make the mistake of forgetting to unload your firearm before throwing it in the truck.
Always double check that your firearm is safely unloaded, and stored in a case when riding in your vehicle.
Stay safe out there!
