Some people hunt grouse, some prefer to hunt rabbits, whilst some would rather go deer hunting.  But it seems that there are people out there who prefer to hunt something a little different; namely cows. 

Not satisfied with booking a table at their local restaurant and ordering juicy fillet steaks, two Canadian men decided to go out and find their own meat.  So, arming themselves with a shotgun and a rifle, they drove out into the British Columbia countryside to search for some suitable bovine to dispatch. 

Now, cows aren’t known for their extensive intelligence and it seems that these two individuals didn’t figure too highly in the brainpower stakes either.  Because shortly after locating a herd of the tame farm animals, one of the men accidentally shot the other. 

Exact details of the shooting are not yet clear and a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman told puzzled reporters, “We’re trying to put the details together.  They were both walking in a heavily wooded area, and a possible scenario is that the person who was shot startled the other male.  But that’s speculation right now.” 

A 19-year-old man was injured as a result of the shooting and was rushed to hospital by his 26-year-old hunting companion.  It is not thought, however, that his gunshot wounds are life-threatening. 

The authorities are currently investigating the bizarre shooting incident and it has been revealed that the two Canadians claim they were hunting cows on the orders of a local butcher.  The name of the butcher has not yet been established and the 26-year-old man is now due to appear in court in June to face charges of possessing an illegal shotgun. 

It is not the first time that cows destined for a bullet have featured in the news and Litt’s, the UK’s number one provider of hunting and shooting accessories, have discovered that an Australian woman was injured in a cattle-related shooting incident in 2004. 

According to the BBC, a Queensland farmer was trying to kill one of his cows with a Winchester bolt-action rifle but somehow missed and shot a passing motorist in the leg. 

The woman is now thought to have made a full recovery but the cow was not so lucky and was eventually shot by the dozy farmer.