Virginia father dies after bear shot in tree falls on him
A Virginia man has died after a bear in a tree shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred Dec. 9 in Lunenburg County, which is between Richmond and Danville, Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting group was following the bear when it ran up the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell onto 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 Phenix, Virginia. A member of the group rendered first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries Friday, the wildlife department stated.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was a self-employed contractor and avid outdoorsman. His funeral is scheduled for Thursday, according to his obituary.
Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
In 2018, a man in Alaska was critically injured after his hunting partner shot a bear on a ridge. The animal tumbled down a slope into the man, who was also struck 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 out of the tree and began biting 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 have been located in at least 92 of Virginia's 98 counties and cities.
The department says that it is illegal "to cripple, harm or dislodge a bear from a tree for the intent of continuing a hunt, chase, or for the purpose of training dogs."
"The Department is not currently seeking any charges related to this incident," VDWR officials said, according to CBS affiliate WTVR.
