The mystery is still not solved after an 87-year old man was apparently struck by a shotgun pellet or bullet fragment while walking on his property in rural Montgomery County Saturday.
Authorities suspect a hunting accident, but they don't know who fired the shot or from where.
Residents and hunters say they are deeply concerned by the incident.
The victim’s property is on the boundary of the Patuxent River State Park where hunting with firearms is permitted.
Hunters may not fire guns within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling without a residents’ permission, even if the hunter is on another property or public land nearby.
Maryland averages 2-3 hunting accidents involving firearms annually. The victim is almost always a hunter. The last bystander to be injured was a mountain biker who was peppered by bird shot while riding in the Tuckahoe State Park on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 2014.
Currently in Maryland, hunters may venture afield with shotguns to pursue small game or hunt deer using muzzle-loading rifles, which are frequently modern versions of antique weapons.
The season for hunting deer with modern firearms begins November 26 and goes through December 10. Hunters may only use shotguns in the county, which have a dramatically limited range compared to rifles.
The majority of Montgomery County is off-limits to firearms hunting with the exception of the outermost rural areas.
