Breaking News

Boar Hunter Makes Pot Shot Blunder

6:19pm UK, Sunday September 14, 2008

An Austrian hunter has taken a pot shot at a parked car - after mistaking it for a wild boar.

Hunter woke up and thought car was wild game

The 67-year-old had briefly dozed off in a watchtower near Schmiedrait in eastern Austria before the incident.

The APA news agency said he woke up and thought the car - which was some 80 metres (262 feet) away - was wild game.

His bullet went through the car leaving its 19-year-old driver - who had parked on a forest path after breaking down on a main road - in a state of shock.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

Local police later said blood-alcohol tests revealed the hunter was not intoxicated.

They explained that the man was to be cited for causing potential bodily harm.

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Comments to the story

I think calling for a complete ban or mandatory psychiatric screening is a bit much. . I don't shoot as a sport, but spent 10 years in the Army shooting at a variety of different targets with a variety of different firearms. Granted, he shouldn't of been in charge of a rifle when that tired, but that would indicate to me it may be early morning or late evening? Probably dusk/night? Target recognition becomes increasingly hard during these times. Indeed, on many an exercise i've mistaken a rustling bush for the "enemy" when visability is reduced.Eye tests before being granted a firearms license? Possibly yes.Psychiatric tests? Can't see what good that will do.Stricter control on firearms licenses? Definately yes.Stricter control on hunting grounds/ranges? Definately yes.Let's not ban a sport simply because of the stupidity and irresponsibility of a few people. If we had to ban sports for that reason we'd only be left with tiddly-winks.
Posted By :Matt Report This
In response to Iz comments, The comment you have made is misinformed and an uneducated one at that. In the UK there is plenty to hunt and shoot. Calling for a ban in Europe is stupidity. As a keen shooter myself and a member of the BASC I am in favor of eye tests and the Austrian who shot the car clearly needs one.
Posted By :Dan Mason Report This
Any moves to bring in mandatory psychiatric tests BEFORE issuing short-sighted/demented gun-wielding fiends with high power guns?Can we assume that the next wave of school shootings will be blamed, not on the evils of music, but on the poor, sleepy gun-toting students dreaming that they're on a shoot with their Dad and mistaking their classmates for bunny rabbits?
Posted By :Nathan Williams Report This

Hunting should be banned, especially in Europe. What is there to hunt over here anyway? A few wild boar and perhaps a deer or two?If people want to hunt, they should go to a game farm in Africa.If this particular hunter could not make out a car at 80 metres, then he seriously needs his eyes to be tested!!
Posted By :Iz Report This
He mistook a car...for a boar...Did they check for drugs too? Or has pollution caused a mutation that creates wild boars with tires as legs and black smoke coming out its bottom? Oh and the engine noise too...
Posted By :Zac Report This