Hunting Related Shooting

CONTACT:
Conservation Officer James Cyrs III
603-744-5470
603-271-3361
October 3, 2025

Canaan, NH – On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, shortly before 9:45 a.m., New Hampshire Fish and Game was notified of a man who had suffered a gunshot injury while pheasant hunting with a group of friends in Canaan, NH.

The group had been hunting in an area along a river with patches of thick vegetation when the incident occurred. The hunting party had unknowingly partially encircled an area of dense cover in an attempt to harvest a pheasant that was hiding in the thicket. When the pheasant emerged and took to the air, one hunter identified as James McCarthy, 38, of Hampstead, NH, fired a single shot. Multiple pellets continued past the flying pheasant and struck another hunter in the party, identified as Joshua Perrone, 37, of Lyme, NH. He suffered multiple, non-life threatening wounds.

Immediately upon realizing what had happened, everyone in the hunting party converged on the injured hunter to render first aid, and place a call to 911. They were able to walk under their own power to where they started the hunt and were met by an ambulance which transported the victim to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for treatment.

In addition to Conservation Officers, members of Canaan Ambulance, Canaan Police Department, Enfield Police Department, and NH State Police responded. The incident is currently under investigation and no further details are available at this time.