Iowa man hunting coyotes cited for careless hunting after shooting, injuring partner
Bill VogrinSoutheast Region Public Information Officer
719-466-3927 / [email protected]
Jan. 26, 2024
Iowa man hunting coyotes cited for careless hunting after shooting and injuring partner
SPRINGFIELD, Colo. – A 70-year-old Iowa man suffered pellet wounds Thursday after he was shot by a hunting partner as they pursued coyote in Baca County.
A Colorado Parks and Wildlife investigation revealed three hunters from Iowa spotted a coyote about 50 feet away. One man fired a shotgun, missing his target. He swung his shotgun and fired again, inadvertently hitting the victim.
“This is a classic example of failure to maintain ‘zone of fire’ awareness,” said Todd Marriott, CPW area wildlife manager based in Lamar. “Hunters must always know where their target is and where the rest of their party is at all times.
Luckily, these kinds of incidents are extremely rare in hunting and it doesn’t appear the victim’s injuries were serious.
The shooter, 48-year-old Matthew Mullenix from Urbandale, Iowa, received a summons for careless hunting, an unclassified misdemeanor punished by a fine ranging from $100 to $1,000.
The charge also carries an assessment of 20 hunting-license suspension points against the hunter and requires a mandatory court appearance.
The victim was taken to a nearby hospital and then flown to a hospital in Colorado Springs for further examination of his injuries.
CPW officers interviewed the victim in Colorado Springs and reported him in good spirits and citing only a minor injury.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.