A Davie man was hit by buckshot in the head Saturday afternoon while hunting with friends in Davie County.

The N.C. Wildlife Commission did not release any names, but Officer Brandon Lyon said the incident appears to have been an accident.

Six friends, all males between age 22 and 25, were hunting on Alcoa gamelands, and had positioned themselves 80-100 yards apart on an old logging road, Lyon said. They had reached the land via boat on the Yadkin River.

When one of the hunters fired a shot at a deer, some of the pellets hit a tree, and one of the pellets ricocheted off the tree and struck another of the hunters in the head, lodging between the skull and scalp. That hunter was still in the hospital on Monday, and the pellet had been removed, Lyon said.

The nearest access was across the river in Davidson County, so the shooter and the victim got in the boat, went across the river, and walked up at Boone’s Cave to meet with Davidson EMS.

Lyon presented his findings to the district attorney, who will decide if any charges will be filed.

Hunting accidents happen all too often, Lyon said. “Stay safe. Take the opportunity to take one of the hunter safety courses (offered by the Wildlife Commission).”