DES MOINES - Four deer hunters were injured in separate incidents in Fayette, Delaware, Osceola and Davis counties on Saturday evening and Sunday morning.

Derek Kleitsch, 19, of Sumner, was deer hunting in a group north of Fairbank in Fayette County when he was hit in the leg near the knee when a shot was fired at a moving deer between him and other hunters in his party at approximately 9:45 a.m. Sunday. He was treated and released from a hospital in Sumner.

A 38-year-old Winterset man received minor injuries while hunting deer in Delaware County on Sunday afternoon.

Shane Pashek was hunting in a group of a dozen hunters south of Manchester when he was struck in the left shoulder by a deer slug. It is estimated the slug was fired from approximately 100 yards, glancing off his shoulder to the ground, having lost most of its velocity by the time it struck him.

Pashek was taken to Regional Medical Center in Manchester where he was treated for a bruise to his shoulder and released.

Luke Sietstra, 29, of Sheldon, was deer hunting with others in Osceola County north of Melvin when a shot was fired at a deer running between him and others striking him in the arm and shoulder at approximately 5 p.m. Saturday. He was taken to a hospital in Sheldon and later transferred to a hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Officials say Don Brandon Sr., 59, of Bloomfield, shot himself in the foot when he slipped while getting into a truck Saturday in Davis County, in southeast Iowa.

All four incidents are under investigation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Deer hunters were challenged by a variety of weather and lighting conditions during the opening weekend of deer shotgun season, said Rod Slings, supervisor of the DNR's recreational safety section of the law enforcement bureau.

"We have encountered everything from rain, sleet and snow on Saturday to sunny conditions over southern Iowa by Sunday afternoon. These changing light conditions make it that much more difficult - and important - to make sure you know what is in your line of fire when taking a shot," Slings said.

Slings said the latest two hunting incidents also underscore the potential dangers involved with party hunting of deer.

"Shooting at running deer while hunting in a group is the No. 1 cause of people getting hurt by firearms while deer hunting. It is vitally important that you know where everyone is and only take shots that will ensure the safety of everyone involved," said Slings.