A Wesson teenager remained in intensive care Thursday morningafter an accidental shooting earlier this week.

Copiah County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Sharon Kelly said18-year-old Nick Nations is recovering at University of MississippiMedical Center in Jackson after sustaining a self-inflicted woundfrom a 12-guage shotgun late Tuesday night. Apparently the shotgunwent off when Nations tripped over a limb while navigating throughthe woods, sending buckshot into his liver and diaphragm, shesaid.

“He’s blessed (to still be alive). He never lost consciousness,”Kelly said. “They were just trying to keep him talking, keep himalert.”

Kelly said the accident occurred around 9:10 p.m. while Nations anda friend were hog hunting almost one mile deep in the marshy woodsoff Sylvarena Road to the west of Wesson.

Several vehicles became stuck in the thick mud trying to extricatethe victim, who was finally brought out on a four-wheeler followingthe creek back to the highway around 10:40 p.m. He was airlifted toUMC.

Both hunters were properly licensed to hunt wild hogs, classifiedas nuisance animals in Mississippi that can be huntedyear-round.

“It looks like it’s just a freak hunting trip,” Kelly said.

Sheriff Harold Jones said the Mississippi Department of Wildlife,Fisheries and Parks would also investigate the incident.