Person who shot hunter in Washburn County identified

Meg Jones | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The person who shot a deer hunter on Sunday in Washburn County has been identified.

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources officials reported Monday that the shooter was identified but did not reveal whether the person turned themselves in to authorities or was found through a tip.

Officials also did not reveal the age or gender of the suspected shooter.

The DNR had sought information from the public about people who were hunting around 11 a.m. Sunday on county land in Minong Township bordered by East Sleepy Eye Road, south of Sleepy Eye Fire Land Road, north of Nancy Lake Road and west of CCC Road.

The 31-year-old man shot in Washburn County was one of four people injured by firearms during opening weekend of Wisconsin's nine-day gun-deer season. The 31-year-old man remained hospitalized Monday and is expected to make a full recovery, the DNR said.

Two hunters shot themselves in the foot and one hunter was shot in the hand by another hunter.

The other three incidents happened Saturday.

In Oneida County, a 38-year-old man shot himself in the foot and in Marathon County, a 29-year-old woman shot herself in the foot. Both hunters shot their left feet.

In Fond du Lac County, a hunter shot at a running deer and struck a 19-year-old woman in the hand.

Last year, there were three non-fatal shooting incidents during the gun-deer season, the safest on record. In 2017, six non-fatal accidents were reported during hunting season. No hunters have been shot to death in Wisconsin since 2015, when there were three firearms fatalities.