Hunter dies after shot bear falls from tree and crushes him

lunenburg county - A tragic incident in Lunenburg County where a hunter lost his life after a shot bear fell from a tree on top of him.

A shot bear fell from a tree onto hunter Lester Clayton Harvey Jr, causing his death. The hunting party in Lunenburg County encountered a bear, leading to the animal climbing a tree. One of the hunters shot the bear, causing it to fall onto Harvey Jr, who was about three meters away from the tree. Emergency services arrived and transported Harvey Jr to the hospital, where he later passed away. No charges are being filed in connection with the incident.

Harvey Jr's son was present during the hunting trip. Following the tragedy, he posted on Facebook about his father's love for bear hunting. Harvey Jr, a self-employed individual, is survived by his wife, five children, and eight grandchildren.

Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including a hunter in Alaska being seriously injured in 2018 and a man being wounded in North Carolina in 2019 in bear hunting accidents.

Black bear hunting is legal in Virginia under strict regulations. The state reported 2,892 black bears shot during the 2023-2024 hunting season. Hunting remains a popular pastime in the United States, with 15.9 million Americans participating in the activity.