On Dec. 9 a black bear fell out of a tree in Lunenburg County and struck a 58-year-old man, who was hospitalized. He died from his injuries four days later, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources confirmed to Outdoor Life.
The hunter was identified as Lester Clayton Harvey, Jr. of Phenix. A VDWR spokeswoman said a group of hunters reportedly treed the bear and then stepped out from underneath its branches. One of Harvey’s companions, VDWR confirms, shot the bear while Harvey was standing roughly 10 feet from the base of the trunk. VDWR confirmed the agency is not seeking any charges related to the incident at this time.
A Facebook post from his wife noted that Harvey “wasn’t doing anything wrong he was just getting his dog!”
The exact nature of the accident is unclear, including how large the bear was, what injuries Harvey sustained, or if he lost consciousness on impact. One of his hunting partners immediately began administering first aid. The VDWR was alerted about the accident at approximately 9:50 a.m.
After local fire department and EMS personnel arrived on the scene, Harvey was transported by ground to VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, a town in neighboring Mecklenburg County. He was later relocated to Richmond’s VCU Medical Center some 80 miles away. He passed away in the critical care unit Friday.
A self-employed contractor, Harvey was described as an avid outdoorsman and “a friend to all [who] never met a stranger” in his obituary. He is survived by his wife, April, five children, and eight grandchildren. According to Harvey’s Facebook profile, he was a houndsman, bear hunter, and muscle car aficiando.
“I went from having the best husband and a man that loved me so much and a man I loved with my heart and soul to being a widow at 48 years old. It’s not fair….” April Dawn Harvey wrote in a Facebook post the day after Harvey’s death. “…I am trying so hard to keep my faith in God but this has destroyed my life so it’s really kind of hard! You were the best husband! I love you so much and will the rest of my life!”
Read Next: After a Failed Compromise, Virginia Landowners Will Now Push for a Full Ban on Deer and Bear Hunting with Hounds
Although running hounds can be a contentious issue among locals, Virginia’s bear hunting regulations allow for bear hunting with hounds during the firearms season in limited parts of the state, including Lunenburg County, on every day except for Sunday. Last year, nearly 75 percent of all black bears in Virginia were taken using hounds, according to the VDWR.
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