North Dakota newspaper accidentally drops F-bomb in article about duck hunting

The Bismarck Tribune, North Dakota’s oldest newspaper, published a column on Thursday with a list of “gun safety” tips and “commandments” for hunters to follow during the upcoming season.

The column is written by Doug Leier, a biologist with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, and it is straightforward and informative; for example, it advocates for hunters to take cell phones with them in case of emergencies.

Thanks to one of the most common errors a copy editor can make, however, a photo caption is likely to outpace any of Leier’s tips. Take a look at the photo caption:

On a standard American keyboard, the F-key is very close to the D-key, so this is all but inevitable.

The Tribune noticed the error very quickly, posting an apology on their website that said, in part:

We expect to provide a higher quality product and again apologize for the mistake. We appreciate those who have reached out to us regarding the matter.  We will strive to do better in the future.

The Bismarck Tribune now knows the frustration of every iPhone user who has repeatedly run into the exact opposite problem while texting.

[H/T Romenesko]

David Matthews operates the Wayback Machine on Fusion.net—hop on. Got a tip? Email him: [email protected]