By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A man participating in a controlled deer hunt Dec. 12 at Oak Mountain State Park suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest after falling out of a tree stand, said Oak Mountain State Park Superintendent Michael Jeffreys.

Jeffreys said the man, who is in his late 30s to early 40s, was shot by the handgun, which discharged from his pocket when he landed on the ground. The man was airlifted to UAB hospital and is still in the trauma unit, but was listed in stable condition, Jeffreys said.

The man called 911 from his cell phone and Pelham police officers responded to the scene, along with state park officials, Jeffreys said. The incident happened at approximately 10:30 a.m., Jeffreys said. Investigators are trying to determine the events leading up to the incident, Jeffreys said.

“There are a lot of questions that still need to be answered,” Jeffreys said.