LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO — A hunter in New Mexico nearly crossed over to the great beyond after his doggie best friend pulled the trigger on him.

The Las Cruces Sun News reports that Sonny Gilligan had gone to hunt jackrabbits in the desert west of LAs Cruces on Thursday, and had taken his dogs Charlie, Scooter, and Cowboy with him.

While in the backseat, his 120-pound lab-rottweiler mix Charlie got his foot on Gilligan's shotgun. When the dog slipped and fell off the seat, his paw caught the trigger, causing the firearm to shoot.

The bullet tore through the driver's seat straight through Gilligan's back, breaking a couple of his ribs and shattering his collarbone. Amazingly, the 74-year-old managed to call for help.

The lucky man had to undergo a bunch of surgeries, but is now on the way to recovery. Still, all he could think about was his boys.

Poor Charlie and his brothers were sent to doggie jail, aka animal services, after the shooting, but have since been busted out by Gilligan's human son.

Gilligan says he's forgiven Charlie for very nearly sending him to the afterlife, adding that it really was just a bizarre freak accident.