Yep, rifle fisherman. Maybe the unidentified guy (not pictured above) from Olympia left his rod and reel back in his car. Or maybe Sammy the salmon he saw swimmin’ in the Deschutes River was just a convenient target of opportunity. Whatever the reason, the 51-year-old decided a round from his .22 was the best way to put a little gravlax on his table . . .

“He saw what he thought was going to be dinner, and took a shot at it. He either missed dinner or hit the rock right next to it, and that bullet ricocheted back and hit him in the head,” said Greg Elwin of the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

Maybe that scope on his rifle made him miss the fishy at such close range. Just a guess.

…his mother-in-law, Sadie Meyers, said it’s “really fortunate he wasn’t killed. He’s going to lose the sight of one eye, I think,” she told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News South Sound Bureau Chief Richard Thompson.

And it wasn’t just stupid. “What he did is illegal,” Elwin said. “That is not an acceptable way to go fishing.” Go figure. So in addition to being able to do a pretty passable pirate imitation — for the rest of his life — our rifleman will also be putting an IGOTD trophy on his mantlepiece. Right up there with his unused fishing tackle. [h/t Tobias A.]

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27 COMMENTS

    • Dependent upon the state fishing with a firearm is not illeagle. In at least one state it is not only acceptable, but has it’s season. Now before you yell and scream that I am a liar, that I don’t know what I’m talking about etc, all you armchair warrior wannabee’s, gather your blankys and huddle close.

      In Vermont, it is legal to hunt fish, or to fish with your favorite rifle. Yes you read that correctly. It IS legal. Now how can that be? Well if all you combat proven heroes (if only in your own minds) sit real still I’ll tell you all about it. Now stop fidgiting you little snipe, or you won’t get to hear the story.

      At some point in the history of Vermont, it was an acceptable practice to shoot those willy ol fish. Along came a legislator that tried to think, and failing in that, developed a law so that it was possible to continue this practice legaly. Now if any one out there in armchairwarriorland has ever taken a safety course, you know that isn’t a good idea, as far as idea’s go.

      However in this case, I stand resolutely behind this practice. It is the one hope that we have, that if enough of those morons continue that practice, then there will be fewer of them to vote for Pat Leaky Leahy, and for Bernie I am not a communist, I am a socialst, but I like communism, Sanders.

      • Interesting tidbit…

        Maybe I haven’t been reading here long enough to understand the tone, but you certainly sound like a real hole.

      • True, he may still produce offspring.
        However if he sues the rifle maker for his injury because the gun tossed a bullet back at him instead of staying down in the water then he gets a Stella Award.

  4. As far as I can tell, bullets — which are made of lead — are quite squishy when they hit a hard surface at high velocity. So how does a bullet reverse course and “bounce back” at you when it hits a hard surface at high velocity?

  5. A long time ago, when I was in high school, I found myself one night in a jonboat with a Nam vet fishing for breakfast. He shined a light in the lake and when fish started to gather he stuck a bolt-action .22 in the water and pulled the trigger and then netted some concussed fish up with a dip net. Not legal but something to keep in mind when Obama gets elected (just kidding) and you have to run for the deep woods and need a meal. Just don’t aim for the rocks and keep the muzzle an inch or so underwater. Probably a lot safer (and just as effective) if you use blanks.

  6. Any idiot should know shooting a .22 at water can cause it to bounce. At an old isolated lake I used to skip .22 shorts across the lake like rocks. Hit water at an angle an god knows where the bullet will go.

  7. How in the world did this guy beat out Detroit Police Officer Angelica Robinson? She is without a doubt the winner of the IGOD award. She got robbed IMO.

  10. If I was in the boat with him, I’d be more worried about my wedding tackle than fishing tackle … Just sayin’ is all …

  11. As a Washingtonian, I officially disown this idiot.

    Sure you might kill a fish, but LORD… half the fun of catching a salmon is taking it home to eat with your family.

    Bullet holes / bucketshot = ruined salmon steak.

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