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 accidents 4 days later, the Virginia Division of Wildlife Assets confirmed to Out of doors Life.
The hunter was recognized as Lester Clayton Harvey, Jr. of Phenix. A VDWR spokeswoman mentioned a gaggle of hunters reportedly treed the bear after which stepped out from beneath its branches. One in every of Harvey’s companions, VDWR confirms, shot the bear whereas Harvey was standing roughly 10 ft from the bottom of the trunk. VDWR confirmed the company will not be searching for any costs associated to the incident at the moment.
A Fb put up from his spouse famous that Harvey “wasn’t doing something mistaken he was simply getting his canine!”
The precise nature of the accident is unclear, together with how giant the bear was, what accidents Harvey sustained, or if he misplaced consciousness on influence. One in every of his searching companions instantly started administering first help. The VDWR was alerted in regards to the accident at roughly 9:50 a.m.
After native fireplace division and EMS personnel arrived on the scene, Harvey was transported by floor to VCU Well being Group Memorial Hospital in South Hill, a city in neighboring Mecklenburg County. He was later relocated to Richmond’s VCU Medical Heart some 80 miles away. He handed away within the essential care unit Friday.
A self-employed contractor, Harvey was described as an avid outdoorsman and “a good friend to all [who] by no means met a stranger” in his obituary. He’s survived by his spouse, April, 5 kids, and eight grandchildren. In accordance with Harvey’s Fb profile, he was a houndsman, bear hunter, and muscle automotive aficiando.
“I went from having one of the best husband and a person that liked me a lot and a person I liked with my coronary heart and soul to being a widow at 48 years outdated. It’s not truthful….” April Daybreak Harvey wrote in a Fb put up the day after Harvey’s demise. “…I’m attempting so exhausting to maintain my religion in God however this has destroyed my life so it’s actually sort of exhausting! You have been one of the best husband! I really like you a lot and can the remainder of my life!”
Learn Subsequent: After a Failed Compromise, Virginia Landowners Will Now Push for a Full Ban on Deer and Bear Searching with Hounds
Though working hounds generally is a contentious challenge amongst locals, Virginia’s bear searching laws permit for bear searching with hounds throughout the firearms season in restricted components of the state, together with Lunenburg County, on day by day aside from Sunday. Final 12 months, almost 75 % of all black bears in Virginia have been taken utilizing hounds, in response to the VDWR.
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