October 3, 2017

MDIFW NEWS: Woman struck by shotgun pellets in Aroostook County

Maine game wardens responded to the report of a two-person hunting incident in Aroostook County this morning. At about 10:00, Geraldine Botka, age 67, from Rangeley, was hit with birdshot pellets in her leg while on a partridge hunt with her husband near Togue Pond in T15 R9 WELS.

Her husband, Richard Botka, 72, fired at a partridge (ruffed grouse) and struck his wife. Game wardens say that Geraldine Botka had been walking in the woods back towards the couple?s parked truck. A partridge flushed towards the dirt logging road where Geraldine was standing. When the partridge flew, Richard fired one shot with his 12 gauge shotgun. Through very dense foliage, three dozen of the pellets struck Geraldine in her lower right leg.

Richard Botka transported his wife to The Aroostook Medial Center (TAMC) in Presque Isle. Geraldine was treated and released for her non-life threatening gunshot wounds. The Botka?s were not wearing hunter orange as it is not required by law during this portion of the Maine?s hunting season. This incident remains under investigation.