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Maine Woman Shot During Bird Hunting Accident
A bird hunting trip turned dangerous Saturday afternoon in Hamlin, Maine.
The incident occurred when a loaded shotgun accidentally discharged inside a side-by-side vehicle, sending one hunter to the hospital with a knee injury.
It happened around 3:30 p.m. when six hunters were traveling through the woods in a convoy of two ATVs and two side-by-side vehicles. Amber Oaks, 31, of Brewer, Maine was riding as a passenger in the last vehicle when the group stopped after the lead rider spotted a bird.
According to the Maine Warden Service, the driver of Oaks’ vehicle, 31-year-old Danielle Fernald of Freeport, exited to retrieve her firearm. As Fernald pulled her loaded 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun from the vehicle, the butt struck the roll cage. The impact caused her hand to slip and hit the trigger, discharging a round of birdshot directly into Oaks’ left knee.
Emergency crews responded quickly to the remote location. Oaks was transported by ambulance to Cary Medical Center in Caribou, where she underwent surgery to clean and treat the wound.
While reports don’t indicate what type of bird was being hunted, several open bird seasons were active during the October incident, with ruffed grouse and woodcock being the most likely targets given their popularity in northern Maine’s Aroostook County where the accident occurred.
- Ruffed grouse: October 1 – December 31
- American woodcock: October 1 – November 14
- Pheasant: September 27 – December 31
- Snipe: September 2 – January 3
- Rail: September 2 – November 21
The incident highlights a critical safety violation that many hunters overlook. Maine law prohibits having a loaded firearm in or on a motor vehicle, including ATVs and side-by-sides. This regulation exists specifically to prevent accidents like this one. Wardens charged Fernald with shooting from a motor vehicle, a citation that covers having a loaded firearm in any vehicle.
For hunters using ATVs or side-by-sides to access remote hunting areas, the proper protocol is clear: unload your firearm completely before placing it in or on any vehicle. This means removing all ammunition from the chamber and magazine. Only reload when you’re on foot and ready to hunt.
The roll cage that Fernald’s shotgun struck is designed to protect riders, but it becomes a hazard when hunters carelessly handle loaded weapons around it. The confined space of a side-by-side makes any firearm handling particularly dangerous. Even experienced hunters can have their grip compromised when maneuvering guns in and out of these vehicles.
This accident could have been fatal. Birdshot at close range can cause devastating injuries. Oaks was fortunate the blast hit her knee rather than her torso or head. Every hunting season brings similar preventable accidents when hunters fail to follow basic safety rules.
Before heading out this season, review these fundamentals: treat every firearm as if it’s loaded, never point a gun at anything you don’t intend to destroy, keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot, and always unload completely before entering or placing a firearm in any vehicle.
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