A Virginia man has died after a bear in a tree that was shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred on Dec. 9 in Lunenburg County, between Richmond and Danville, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting party was following the bear when it ran into the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell on another hunter who was standing about 10 feet from the bottom of the tree.
The department identified the man as Lester C. Harvey, 58, of Phoenix, Virginia. A member of the group provided first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died on Friday from his injuries, animal protection reported.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was self-employed and an avid outdoorsman. His funeral is scheduled for Thursday, according to his obituary.
Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
In 2018 a man came in Alaska was seriously injured after his hunting partner shot a bear on a ridge. The animal tumbled down a slope into the man, who was also hit by rocks dislodged by the bear.
Another man was injured in 2019 after his hunting partner shot a bear in a tree in North Carolina. The bear fell from the tree and began to bite the hunter. The man and the animal then tumbled off a cliff. The hunter was taken to a hospital, while the bear was later found dead.
According to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, black bears are found throughout most of the state and are in at least 92 of Virginia’s 98 counties and cities.
The department says it is illegal to “stun, harm, or dislodge a bear from a tree for the purpose of further hunting, pursuit, or for the purpose of training dogs.”
“The department is not currently seeking charges in connection with this incident,” VDWR officials said, according to CBS affiliate WTVR.
