A western Wisconsin man remains hospitalized after being shot in the back during a hunting incident Saturday, Oct. 19, in the village of Solon Springs. The man was taken to St. Luke’s hospital by helicopter and remained hospitalized Thursday, Oct. 24. Spokeswoman Melissa Burlaga said no condition update was being released.

The shooting took place at about 3:18 p.m. on Tom Green Road, about 500 feet east of Gregerson Road, according to a report from Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Izzard.

The victim, a 42-year-old man from Alma, Wisconsin, was shot in the back by his girlfriend with a shotgun while hunting. The victim told Izzard that they were on a mentor hunt.

His girlfriend, a 45-year-old woman from Luck, Wisconsin, told Izzard she loaded and closed the shotgun. Because she’d had difficulty closing the action earlier, she “put a little muscle into it.” As the breech closed, the gun accidentally fired.

The woman told Izzard the safety was on and she didn’t know what happened. She didn't appear to be familiar with firearms and had a valid mentored small game license.

“Based on the statements of those involved, my observations and no evidence to the contrary, this incident appears to be an accidental shooting while hunting,” Izzard wrote in the report.