NORA SPRINGS – A rural Mason City man was hospitalized Sunday after sustaining a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot while deer hunting Sunday afternoon.
Jeffrey A. Esser, 29, was moving through heavy brush southeast of Nora Springs in Floyd County when the 12-gauge shotgun he was carrying discharged hitting in the right foot at approximately 4 p.m. Sunday. He was transported by private vehicle to North Iowa Mercy Medical Center in Mason City where he underwent surgery Sunday evening.
The incident remains under investigation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Overall, five people were injured, none fatally, on Sunday, the second day of the shotgun deer season in Iowa. So far this year, there have been a total of 11 personal injury hunting-related incidents reported to the DNR.