That (the title above) was a suggested bumper sticker overheard on http://www.bobandtom.com Bob & Tom this morning. Expect this accident to be the butt of many jokes for some time.

Fortunately, Mr. Whittington is fine and expected to recover fully.

The shooting incident occurred about 5:30 p.m. Saturday on the sprawling 50,000-acre ranch just south of Sarita in deep South Texas.

There was no immediate reason given as to why the incident wasn’t reported until Sunday.

“Harry was about 100 yards away, looking for a lost bird,” said Ms. Armstrong, who attended the hunt. “The vice president and another hunter had moved on toward another covey of quail.

“But Harry came up behind the vice president’s party and didn’t announce himself,” she said. “The vice president was following the birds as he swung around and hit Harry. It’s just good hunting protocol to let the other hunters know where you are.”

Mr. Whittington was sprayed in the face, neck and upper chest with 28-gauge birdshot, Ms. Armstrong said. “He wasn’t hit in the eyes or anything. It just knocked him down, but he never lost consciousness.”

And medical attention was prompt.