A Clarion County hunter suffered a gunshot wound to his leg by another member of his large hunting party in that county on Dec. 31, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Brandon Lee Dunkle, 42, of Fairmont City was shot in his right thigh with a bullet from a .50-caliber flintlock rifle and flown to a trauma center hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment following the incident, which took place on wooded property north of Kemmer Road in Limestone Township, according to the commission.

The shot was fired by Joseph Lee Larson, 41, of Corsica in Jefferson County, according to the commission. No criminal charges have been filed against him.

Both men were among a group of 23 hunters who were pursuing white-tailed deer during the flintlock season, which runs from Dec. 27 to Jan. 29.

Dunkle was one of 10 hunters who were pushing through a section of woods to move deer toward Larson and the 12 other hunters who were stationary.

The commission said Dunkle was pushing directly toward Larson at 1 p.m. when a doe appeared 40 yards in front of Larson. He shot at the deer when it stopped in front of a brush pile. The bullet traveled 76 yards, hit Dunkle in the outer right thigh and exited through the rear of his thigh. Larson didn't see Dunkle because the brush pile obstructed his view, the commission said.

Dunkle shouted for help and contacted the other hunters using a radio. The other hunters responded almost immediately and called 911 at 1:02 p.m. They applied two makeshift tourniquets using pant belts, carried Dunkle up a hill, placed him in a utility vehicle and took him to Kemmer Road, where an ambulance was waiting, according to the commission.

The ambulance took him to the helicopter that flew him to the hospital. A game warden called Dunkle that evening in the hospital, and he reported that he received stitches, but didn't require major surgery and he expected to be released the next day.