Alaska News

Alaska man accidentally shot, killed by deer hunting partner in Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin officials say an Alaska man is dead after his hunting companion apparently shot him.

Department of Natural Resources Warden Jon King said the 39-year-old Fairbanks man, originally from Wisconsin, was deer hunting with a 35-year-old Wisconsin woman Sunday.

King said the man apparently handed a loaded rifle up to the woman while she was in a tree stand. The woman had mittens on and grasped the gun around the trigger. The weapon discharged and the man took a bullet just below the armpit.

Both hunters had valid licenses to hunt in Wisconsin, King said. He declined to release either hunter's name, saying the incident was still under investigation. He didn't know if the hunters were related.

"It's a very unfortunate case," King said. "We tell people to never carry a loaded firearm in and out of the tree stand."

King said the incident occurred in the township of Caledonia, about 70 miles west of Milwaukee.

According to King, local law enforcement got a call about the shooting at about 9 a.m. Sunday. The man died despite being treated at medical facilities.

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"He was transferred to Divine Savior Hospital in Portage, Wisconsin, and then medevacked by helicopter to the (University of Wisconsin) Hospital in Madison," King said. "A short time later, doctors pronounced him dead."

King said more information about what happened would be available after investigators completed their report and the local district attorney's office conducted a standard review for any possible criminal charges.

Alaska Dispatch News reporter Chris Klint contributed information to this story.

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