A 28-year-old man was accidentally shot while hunting with his father-in-law in the remote Soapstone Basin area of Wasatch County, and was flown out by medical helicopter with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The man was alert and awake when first responders reached him, and crews from two counties scrambled over rugged terrain to get him help.
According to KUTV, the victim is the hunter's son-in-law, and officials said the shooting happened while the older man was putting his rifle away. Gephardt Daily reported that Wasatch County Search and Rescue was notified of the accident at approximately 12:51 p.m., though accounts of exactly when the shooting itself occurred varied. KUTV reported the shooting happened about 12:51 p.m. Saturday in the Soapstone Basin area, while ABC4 reported that Wasatch County Search and Rescue responded to the accident on Sunday afternoon. Fox 13 reported separately that the time, date and location of the incident had not been confirmed at the time of its report.
Remote Terrain Slowed the Response
Soapstone Basin's remoteness made the rescue especially difficult. Responders from Wasatch and Summit counties mobilized to reach the location, and the same KUTV report noted that several hunters in the area stopped to help alongside official crews before anyone could reach the injured man.
Per Gephardt Daily's reporting, the response drew on a wide roster of agencies: the Wasatch County Sheriff's Office, Summit County Sheriff's Office, Summit County Search and Rescue, South Summit Fire, University of Utah AirMed, and the U.S. Forest Service all assisted. That same account credited several hunters nearby with stopping to help the injured man even before official crews arrived.
Treated, Stabilized and Flown to a Higher Level of Care
First responders found the 28-year-old alert and awake, treated and stabilized him on scene, and then had him transported by medical helicopter for a higher level of care, the outlet reported. His injuries were ultimately described as not life-threatening.
Wasatch County Search and Rescue thanked the responders and hunters who helped reach the man in such a difficult spot, according to the same report, and urged hunters to practice firearm safety in the field. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources notes that since 1996, the state has averaged fewer than seven hunting accidents per year, a statistic the agency points to in its ongoing Hunter Education Program materials, which teach safety skills and practical techniques for hunters in the field.
