SALT LAKE CITY, Utah- A Utah hunter was shot in the buttocks after his dog stepped on his shotgun which he had just laid across the bow of a boat. Deputy Kevin Potter says the 46-year-old man climbed out of the boat to move decoys and seconds later his dog stepped on the gun, causing it to fire. It wasn't clear whether the safety on the gun was on at the time. Potter says the man was hit from about 10 feet away with 27 pellets of bird-shot but his waders saved him from more serious trauma. Potter said the man thought he saw his dog pawing at the safety out of the corner of his eye but hunting experts think the man was just making excuses to save himself from embarrassment.

WAYLAND, Michigan- An unwanted travel companion joined Ralph Long of Wayland and his fiancée as they were driving to the store. A 4-point buck was running north and leapt through the rear driver's side window and landed in the back of Long's Dodge Caravan, police said. Long looked in his rear view mirror and saw the animal trying to stand up. Fearing the deer would either attack or force him to drive somewhere he didn't want to go Long immediately stopped the vehicle in the middle of the road and he and his fiancée jumped out. When they opened the side sliding door the deer fell out onto the road after which the highway patrol arrived to dispatch the hitch hiker. "I was on my way to get my deer license but after this I figured I'd skip hunting this year," said Long.

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas- Some hunters follow the rules, some hunters bend the rules, but Jerry Kutchnik throws out the rules and says "My boy is going to bag a deer before the age of ten and I don't care what kind of weapon it takes to get him there. When he gets older, or if we get him that eye surgery deal, I'll make Junior use something a little more sportin' but right now I'm giving him something he just can't miss with." The local office of the ATF has been contacted by neighbors and is looking into the matter.

CHRISTO DE LAS CRUCES, Mexico- The average experienced scuba diver gets 45 minutes or so from a tank of air. And the inexperienced Richard C. Johnson family of Houston, Texas needed all 45 and then some on their first dive during a Cozumel vacation. "We told the guide we had never done this before but they said no problemo. Suddenly we were sitting on the bottom and believe it or not we could tell the gestures the guy was making meant 'Breathe really slowly.' We did. Every hammerhead in the world seemed to pass by. By the time we could surface we were holding our breath."

LAC DU FLAMBEAU, Wisconsin- Dennis Corrigan was about to climb up into his deer stand when he heard noise coming from above. When he looked up he saw, sitting on the perch he intended to shoot deer from, a very unwilling to move black bear. "We looked at each other for awhile and it was obvious that bear did not intend to move. So I went home and mowed the lawn."

FERGUS FALLS, Minnesota- A Fergus Falls man is a little stiff and sore, but thankful to be alive after a buck charged and threw him to the ground during a hunt near his farm. Don Stock and the rest of the hunting party stumbled upon what he thought was a dead deer. That is until "He charged me. I don't know why he chose me. I don't even know what happened, it happened so quick. He knocked me up in the air. But we got him before he could do anymore damage. Let me tell you that was some close quarters shooting." Don says he's had enough hunting for the fall.

BANFF, Canada- It may start with just a small group but it can end up as a movement. That's the approach a herd of elk may have taken in western Canada. They want their own freeway crossing and will camp out on their favorite overpass indefinitely until they get what they want. Or, until they get hungry, according to biologist Dudley Dubois. "I don't know why they chose that spot to occupy but once they realize there is nothing to eat out there they will move on." In the mean time drivers are urged to avoid the area and take alternate routes as the elk occupy that stretch of road.

The Christian Athletes Fellowship Reminds You That Nobody Can Stop The Love of Jesus

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska- Seeing wildlife in the backyard is a common enough experience around here but to have an infestation of badgers is unique and a little frightening. Scott and Debbie Scoular let their cat out last week and when they heard some strange noise coming from their pet they turned on the backyard lights to see their beloved Mister Friskers surrounded by a herd of badgers. "Friskers just sat there and watched 'em. I thought for sure he was badger-chow but they came, then went, and we have no idea what they were up to or why they were here. But we sure don't go out there at night anymore," said the nervous couple.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- Sheriff's deputies shot nearly 50 wild animals, including 18 Bengal tigers and 17 lions in a big-game hunt across the state after the owner of an exotic-animal park threw their cages open and committed suicide in a last act of spite against his neighbors and police. As homeowners nervously hid indoors, officers fanned out through fields and woods to hunt down 56 animals that had been turned loose by owner Terry Thompson. Parents were warned to keep children and pets indoors. And flashing signs along highways told motorists, "Caution exotic animals" and "Stay in vehicle." John Ellenberger, a neighbor, speculated that Thompson freed the animals to ruin Halloween. "He hated Halloween. If they hadn't gotten all these lions and tigers and bears our kids would have been the candy instead of getting candy. You sure wouldn't want your kid to go dressed as a Thompson's gazelle or blueberry bush."