By Sarah Light, staff writer

GLENVILLE &8212; A 69-year-old Albert Lea man was transported by Mayo One

helicopter to Rochester Friday afternoon after his loaded rifle accidentally fired and shot him in the right armpit.

His injuries are considered to be not life-threatening.

According to Freeborn County Sheriff&8217;s Office reports, the call for service came into dispatch at about 3:40 p.m. Friday, when authorities received notice of a gunshot casualty just north of Glenville on 795th Avenue.

Reports indicated the man, David Christensen, was exiting his deer stand when the muzzleloading rifle he was carrying hit something that caused the loaded rifle to fire.

Christensen was able to use his cell phone to call his friend who lived nearby for assistance, and the friend then called emergency services.

The Glenville Fire Department and First Responders, the Freeborn County Sheriff&8217;s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol and private citizens worked together to locate Christensen near his deer stand.

He was removed and taken to a waiting Mayo One helicopter in Glenville and then transported by air to Rochester at about 4:45 p.m.

The Freeborn County Sheriff&8217;s Office is conducting further investigation into the incident.

The Minnesota hunting season for muzzleloaders comes to an end today.