Tragedy Strikes Iowa Hunting Community as Illinois Hunter Dies After Being Shot in the Face by Hunting Party Member

An Illinois hunter has died after being shot in the face by someone in his hunting party, an official with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said Saturday.

Seth Egelhoff, 26, of Chesterfield, Illinois, was hunting waterfowl in the Bays Branch Wildlife Area, just north of Panora, when the incident occurred. Someone called 911 around 1 p.m. Saturday to report that Egelhoff had been shot. Emergency medics rushed Egelhoff to a spot to be picked up by a medical helicopter, but he died en route.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said in a written statement that its law enforcement arm is investigating the shooting death of Egelhoff. This marks the second hunter to be fatally shot in the state since last month.

The department is urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact the Iowa DNR Law Enforcement Bureau at 515-725-8200 or the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office at 641-747-2214. The department also said that anyone with information can remain anonymous.

Hunting is a popular sport in Iowa, and the state has a number of regulations in place to ensure the safety of hunters. The Iowa DNR is committed to ensuring the safety of all hunters and will continue to investigate this incident.