Related Post
A 58-year-old man is dead after a bear fell out of a tree and struck him in what appears to be a hunting accident in Virginia, state wildlife officials said Tuesday.
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources confirmed to USA TODAY that a treed bear fell and struck the hunter about 9:50 a.m. on Dec. 9 in Lunenburg County.
Lunenburg County is just under 80 miles southwest of Richmond, the state’s capital.
According to a preliminary investigation, a group of hunters chased a bear into a tree, and as the group retreated from the bottom of the tree, one hunter shot the bear. As the animal fell, it struck Lester Clayton Harvey Jr., who stood about 10 feet from the tree, officials reported.
“A member of the hunting group rendered first aid until local fire and EMS arrived on scene,” wildlife resources spokesperson Shelby Crouch said Tuesday.
The man was taken to a hospital and died Friday, Crouch said.
“The department is not currently seeking any charges related to this incident,” Crouch said.
‘Dad was doing what he loved most’
Harvey was born in Halifax County, was a self-employed contractor and a member of Mount Carmel United Methodist Church, his family wrote in his obituary.
An avid outdoorsman, he was a friend to all and never met a stranger, his obituary reads.
Josh Harvey, one of the hunter’s sons, said he was with his father when the accident happened.
“Dad was doing what he loved most, bear hunting with me and some of his good friends when he was injured,” his son wrote in a post on his Facebook page Dec. 11. The post included photos of the group hunting, with a bear in some of the shots.
In a video tribute posted Saturday by fellow hunter James Russell Hudson on the Facebook page Hounds Tales Hunters, Hudson confirmed Harvey’s death.
“Keep Mr. Harvey’s family in your prayers,” Hudson said. “Never good to lose a houndsman. Never good to lose anybody this time of year.”
USA TODAY has reached out to Harvey’s family.
Funeral set for Lester Harvey, killed in apparent hunting accident
A funeral service was set for Thursday at the Mount Carmel church.
Harvey is survived by his wife, April McAllister Harvey, three sons, two daughters and eight grandchildren.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
