A 38-year-old Waipori Falls man was flown to Dunedin Hospital by the Otago Regional Rescue Helicopter after he accidentally shot himself in the foot with a shotgun shortly before 10.40am on Saturday, police said.
Dunedin police Senior Sergeant Steve Aitken said the man had been cleaning the firearm when it accidentally discharged, firing a solid slug round used in hunting.
The man had been flown from Waipori Falls to hospital with a serious foot injury.
Snr Sgt Aitken said the incident showed firearms could be dangerous, and highlighted the importance of always taking safety precautions.
All firearms ''should be treated as loaded'' at all times, until they had been properly checked to ensure they were not, he said.
Hospital officials said the man was in a stable condition in an orthopaedic ward at the hospital on Saturday night.
