Hunter found shot in deer stand — but it wasn’t hunting related, SC officials say

A hunter in upstate South Carolina was mysteriously shot in his deer stand, and investigators have determined the stray bullet did not come from another hunter nor was it self-inflicted.

The shooting happened late Saturday, Oct. 18, near Broadway Lake in the Anderson area, and the hunter, a 30-year-old man, was seriously hurt, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

“When we arrived on scene, we found the victim had been shot in their deer stand,” the sheriff’s office said. “The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) took the lead as the incident involved a hunter. ... SCDNR determined that the incident in question was not hunting-related.”

The evidence pointed in a far more unusual direction: a family member.

“Information gathered by detectives led them to believe that family members of the victim were involved,” the sheriff’s office said.

“After a thorough review of the evidence and following later confessions, it was determined that a family member had negligently discharged a firearm from an adjoining property without a proper backstop, which resulted in the victim being struck.”

However, “after a few days of discussion, the victim has chosen not to press charges against their family member,” the sheriff’s office said.

The area where the shooting occurred is about a 110-mile drive northwest from Columbia.

This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Hunter found shot in deer stand — but it wasn’t hunting related, SC officials say."