NILES, Mich.- Talk about being in a pickle: A judge gave a 35-year-old man probation in a case that police said involved an assault with pickles.

According to police reports, the pickle problems began when Bobby Lee Bolen was hanging out at then-friend Jody Lee’s home on Aug. 20.

Bolen went to the refrigerator and helped himself to some pickles. According to the report, Lee told Bolen he not to eat his pickles. Bolen then began yelling and swearing and stormed out.

Later, Bolen barged back into the house and got into an argument with Lee. Lee told police Bolen slammed him down on the couch and threw two large pickles at him and said, “Here’s your damn pickles.”

Bolen also shoved former friend J.W. Romanski III and beat Lee with a telephone when he tried to call 911, according to the report.

Bolen’s sentence included 54 days in jail with credit for 54 days served and one year of probation.

Iowa man recovering after being shot by hunting dog

DES MOINES, Iowa – A hunter is recovering after he was shot in the leg at close range by his dog, who stepped on his shotgun and tripped the trigger, an official said Tuesday.

James Harris, 37, of Tama, was hit in the calf Saturday, the opening day of pheasant season, said Alan Foster, a spokesman with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

“He had surgery and is doing pretty well,” he said. “He took between 100-120 pellets in about a 4-inch circle to his calf.”

Harris was listed in good condition Tuesday, officials said.

Harris was hunting with a group about three miles north of Grinnell. The group shot a bird, and when Harris went to get it, he put his gun on the ground and crossed a fence. As he crossed the fence, his hunting dog stepped on the gun.

Foster said no citations have been issued.

From Associated Press reports