Omaha man injured in hunting accident near Platte River

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Nebraska reports its third hunting injury incident for 2022.

According to Nebraska Game and Parks, a 22-year-old Omaha man was injured in a hunting accident Saturday around 7:30 a.m.

It happened along the Platte River southeast of Yutan.

Game and Parks says the man was accidentally shot by another member of his hunting party. He had injuries to both his hands and was sent to Bergan Mercy in Omaha.

The incident is under investigation by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The Saunders County Sheriff’s Office was also at the scene.

Game and Parks says this is the second hunting accident in just two days - but it’s only the third total for all of 2022.

Nebraska saw eight hunting incidents that resulted in personal injury in 2021 and five in 2020.

Game and Parks recommends four primary rules of firearm safety to reduce risk:

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.
• Always point the muzzle of the firearm in a safe direction.
• Be sure of the target, what is in front of it and what is beyond it.
• Keep fingers outside of the trigger guard until you are ready to fire.

Annual hunting incidents have also decreased by more than 70% since the state introduced mandatory hunting education and orange attire requirements.

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