No fowl play as Cheney shoots fellow quail-hunter

US VICE-PRESIDENT Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a man during a weekend quail-hunting trip.

Harry Whittington, 78, was “alert and doing fine” after Mr Cheney sprayed him with shotgun pellets at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas on Saturday, according to property owner Katharine Armstrong.

She said Mr Cheney turned to shoot a bird and accidentally hit Mr Whittington, who was taken to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

Ms Armstrong said Mr Whittington was mostly injured on his right side, pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest, and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Ms Armstrong said she was watching from a car while Mr Cheney, Mr Whittington and another hunter got out to shoot at a covey of quail late on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Whittington shot a bird and went to look for it in the tall grass, while Mr Cheney and the third hunter walked to another spot and found a second covey.

Mr Whittington “came up from behind the vice president and the other hunter and didn’t signal them or indicate to them or announce himself,” Ms Armstrong told the Associated Press in an interview.

“The vice president didn’t see him,” she continued. “The covey flushed and the vice president picked out a bird and was following it and shot. And by god, Harry was in the line of fire and got peppered pretty good.

“This is something that happens from time to time. You know, I’ve been peppered pretty well myself,” said Ms Armstrong.