David Andreatta

@david_andreatta

A man is fighting for his life after being shot Monday in a wooded area of the town of Sweden by a father and son on a coyote hunt, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

The man was shot around 6:30 p.m. in the area of 6142 Lake Road, deputies said. The sun set at 5:50 p.m. on Monday.

Sunrise to sunset are the legal hunting hours for most species, although coyotes are among a handful of animals that can be hunted around the clock when they are in season, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Coyotes are currently in season from Oct. 1 to March 26.

A news release issued by the Sheriff's Office did not identify the victim or the father and son allegedly responsible for shooting him, or whether the victim was shot more than once.

The release read that "they accidentally shot" the man, rendered first aid to him and called 911. Deputies used an ATV to reach the victim, who was transported by ambulance to Strong Memorial Hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Sheriff''s Office spokesman Cpl. John Helfer on Tuesday said the shooting victim remained alive at Strong. The man who allegedly fired the shot was charged with second-degree assault, a felony, Helfer said.

The incident is under investigation, according to the Sheriff's Office.

DANDREATTA@Gannett.com

Includes reporting by staff writer Victoria Freile

New York coyote population estimated at 38,000