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LITTLE CREEK RESERVOIR — A 49-year-old man was shot and killed in a hunting accident Saturday afternoon, police said.
Police received a call around 6:30 p.m. Saturday after two brothers were hunting antelope near Little Creek Reservoir when one of the men took a shot at an antelope, according to Rich County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Greer.
Rich County Sheriff Dave Stacey said the brothers had used that same hunting spot many times before, but the excitement of spotting the antelope may have gotten the better of them.
"Both (brothers were) riding on the same 4-wheeler, came up this hill (then) the antelope dropped down off the hill," Stacey said.
Stacey said the 49-year-old brother either sat or knelt down, fired at the antelope and missed.
"The other (60-year-old) brother jumped off the 4-wheeler and started also shooting at the antelope, and the first brother was struck in the head by one of the shots," Stacey said. "It was a scoped rifle, and he saw the animal, but not his brother."
Stacey said the 49-year-old died instantly.
"A third brother came and some family members and picked up (the older brother) that night. We didn't feel comfortable even leaving him alone because he was so distraught," Stacey said.
The incident is still under investigation by the Rich County Sheriff’s Office and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, but officials believe it was an accident.
Neither of the men were identified.
