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Falling bird knocks shooter unconscious

Published

8 years ago

February 26, 2018

A hunter was knocked unconscious after being struck by a dead goose that had been shot and fell from the sky.

Robert Meilhammer, 51, suffered a “severe head injury” after his hunting group fired at a flock of Canadian geese in Easton, Maryland.

One goose fell about 90ft to the ground and hit Mr Meilhammer, knocking him out and causing head and facial injuries on Friday, Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources said.

When he came round, he was able to say who he was but was “hazy about other details”, the department said in a statement.

It added that Mr Meilhammer “suffered a severe head injury” and was taken by ambulance to Easton Airport, where he was airlifted to Baltimore for treatment.

He is now in a stable condition.

Maryland Natural Resources Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson said geese can cause “severe damage” falling from height due to their weight and size.

She told CBS: “These birds weigh anywhere from 10 to probably 14 pounds. They can have a wingspan of up to six feet.

“So, if they’re 35 yards up in the air, and they’re falling 60 feet and they hit you on the head, it’s going to definitely cause severe damage.”