[BoilerUP]

Hunter Found Dead In Deer Stand

Updated: Nov 18, 2008 12:07 PM

BEAVER DAM, Ky. (AP) - Police in western Kentucky are investigating the death of a hunter who was found in a deer stand in Ohio County.

Kentucky State Police say the hunter was identified as Glen Felton Jr. of Louisville.

Police were called to the scene shortly before 1 p.m. CST Monday. Police said in a statement that it appeared Felton was lifting his rifle up to the deer stand when it accidentally discharged.

No foul play is suspected. An autopsy is planned.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Sad.

Ya know, I've lifted a loaded gun to myself while in a stand, but I made sure of:

1. The rifle is hoisted in such a way that it points down, not up.
2. The rifle is on safe, and
3. There are no branches or anything it could snag on.

The sheer dumb bad bad luck it would take for the gun to both go off and hit him squarely enough to kill him is remote enough that it tells me that there must be a *bunch* of hunters throughout the land that have NDs in the same way but escape unscathed - meaning that ignorance must really abound.

[H&Hhunter]

PS.

Why would you ever lift a "loaded" gun into a stand. An empty one is a heck of lot safer.

[interlock]

i am with H & H on this. DON'T CLIMB A TREESTAND WITH A LOADED RIFLE. get out hunting with your dad or an uncle and learn safety first

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

I guess I'm a bit ignorant/unsafe myself, but I don't think too very much. I'm conscientious - I'd unload if I thought any chance of an ND - it's gonna depend on the circumstances, but IIRC, I may have done this once or twice - again, making sure that it's pointed down. I dunno - I may not have been that dumb - come to think of it, my old-timers may be setting in - it's been awhile since I gun hunted in a treestand - I may have unloaded first. In fact I probably did.

However, I do know for sure that I HAVE climbed a short 12' ladder stand just HOLDING my ML rifle, pointing up away from me the whole way as I climb, or slung over my shoulder.

[JoeDanger]

To point out the obvious, you can hold anything you want while you climb. Though you may fall because you're holding a rifle, you will never be shot if there's no round in the chamber.

(Mosin with a bayonet?)

[moosehunt]

I've never climbed into a stand, but if I did, I would damn sure empty the chamber first! That's not exactly rocket science! Heck, the gun doesn't weigh near so much then! A muzzle loader might be a problem, but one could remove the cap. I can see where loading a muzzle loader in a tree would be a bit of a hassle!

[PBinWA]

A local incident that is sad for all involved:

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/11/washington_teacher_charged_in.html


Washington teacher charged in man's death in forest
by Allan Brettman, The Oregonian
Thursday November 20, 2008, 9:09 PM
STEVENSON, Wash. -- Late afternoon on the opening day of elk season, a man approached three hunters in the Lone Butte area near Carson. He couldn't speak English and struggled to deliver his message: His friend had been shot dead.

A dozen detectives and officers from four agencies descended on the case. They interviewed as many as 100 elk hunters who had set up camp near the site of the man's death near Skookum Meadows in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Within the day, detectives heard about a lone hunter with a first name of "Craig."

A hunter mentioned seeing a white Jeep Liberty leaving the area. The man seemed to be in a hurry that Saturday afternoon, another hunter told detectives, and he didn't say much.

A few days later, a man called authorities, saying he'd read about the incident and believed "he was the guy we were looking for."

On Thursday, Craig A. Sjoberg, a 55-year-old middle school teacher from Camas, made his first court appearance, charged with first-degree manslaughter in the death of Juan Rojas Cortez.

In the first hours after the shooting was reported Nov. 1, detectives weren't sure what kind of case they had.

"We had nothing to go on," said Detective Sgt. Monty Buettner, Skamania County Sheriff's Office lead investigator.

En route to the crime scene Thursday, Buettner said he wondered about a range of possibilities. Was it a homicide, a suicide, an accident or something else?

Initially, the two companions of the victim were suspects.

"Everybody was a suspect," Buettner said.

Soon, every road in and out of the area near the shooting site was closed.

It was close to midnight when detectives with the Skamania County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene. The Spanish-speaking man and his companion led officers to the body.

Rojas Cortez, 30, of Tacoma was found lying on the forest floor on his back, with a hand up and close to his shoulder, according to an affidavit filed in Clark County District Court. It was raining heavily that day, and the victim wore a green raincoat and black rainpants. It appeared a bullet had entered through his right shoulder and stopped near the abdomen, an autopsy showed.

The men who had alerted police had been picking beargrass -- used by florists for greenery in bouquets -- with the shooting victim.

Buettner called for help from other agencies to begin the lengthy task of interviewing every hunter who could be found at nearby elk camps.

"We spoke to every hunter in each camp," Buettner said.

By Monday, Nov. 3, the Skamania sheriff's office asked other area law offices for help in finding "Craig": a white male, slight stature, wearing round eyeglasses and driving a white Jeep Liberty.

Then a man who identified himself as Craig Sjoberg called and left a voice mail for Buettner the next morning.

Officers failed to reach Sjoberg, and a Vancouver attorney called later that day to say he was representing Sjoberg.

On Wednesday, Nov. 5, Sjoberg stopped showing up for his job as a seventh-grade math teacher at Shahala Middle School in the Evergreen School District. He was placed on administrative leave Tuesday, pending the outcome of the criminal case, schools spokeswoman Carol Fenstermacher said.

Sjoberg, who lives in Camas, was arrested Monday.

Authorities said Sjoberg had been hunting for several years.

First-degree manslaughter requires proof of criminal recklessness, Skamania County Prosecutor Peter Banks said. A conviction of a first-time offender for first-degree manslaughter has a sentencing range of 6 1/2 years to 8 1/2 years, Banks said.

Bail was set at $750,000. Sjoberg, who authorities said has no criminal record, is being held in the Skamania County Jail. His arraignment is set for Monday.


-- Allan Brettman; allanbrettman@news.oregonian.com

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[sarg]

First, I 'd like to say, been to Ohio County many times, Lots of nice deer taken there. Second while hunting in Carter County this week, a game warden pulls up under my stand, gets out and asks me if that was school property, I said no, showed him where school property ended and private land began,.. I figured hunting was over there since he drove to my stand. It seems a teacher could see my orange vest from one of her windows, so I told him I would move my stand although I was legal. I removed the bullet from chamber then let my rifle down to him. He was nice and we talked about several things, but I always unload when entering or leaving a tree stand, but don't forget about the pistol on your hip, It could also fall and never let youy gun down with barrel pointing down, Snow or mud could get in barrel. thats not good....

[qajaq59]

We always left our unloaded gun on the ground with a rope attached and once we were in the stand and strapped in, then we would pull it up. And I don't climb over fences with a loaded gun either. Of course I have this thing about not wanting to shoot myself or my hunting partner.

[RKellogg]

PremiumSauces , The guy in Kentucky most likely does / did , the same thing you do .

Ya know, I've lifted a loaded gun to myself while in a stand, but I made sure of:

1. The rifle is hoisted in such a way that it points down, not up.
2. The rifle is on safe, and
3. There are no branches or anything it could snag on.

[WardenWolf]

Almost easier to unload and case the gun while you're lifting it into the stand. At least that gives you a handle to tie a rope to. If it's a soft case, you can always toss it down later with the rope still attached so it won't blow away, and the case can also hold magazines and ammo.

[mbt2001]

Everything about that News Story is what is wrong with America, save the guy turning himself in.

It was his goodwill that broke the case and now they are charging him with a felony for something he may not even been aware of happened, SUPPOSING that he was actually the one that shot him and not one of the companions or enemies etc...

Are the other people being charged with picking the bear grass BTW???

[bigearslol]

i knew the hunter.
the police say he was lifting his gun up.
but everyone who knew him, knows that he was extremely cautious.
and after looking at his deer stand we believe he slipped.
and the gun fell and discharged.
so please show some respect and quit implying that friend was stupid.
may he rest in peace is what should be said.

[MAGNUM44]

Should never have one in the chamber untill your in your stand and in position to hunt, expecially while climbing up a tree etc

[H&Hhunter]

I'll say it again. DO NOT LOAD your rifle until you are in the stand. If it is a muzzel loader you can have it charged but don't put a cap on until you are in the stand. This solves all of your safety concerns with the firearm. It is really pretty simple when you think about it.

[nathan]

I was invited to hunt before by an old timer . He loaded his gun and placed in the rack between the seat of his jeep. He told me to sit at the back . Now the dang muzzle was pointing directly at me. Scared the pa_ts out of me while we were winding in rough terrain.

[Davek1977]

^^ The second he suggested I sit in directly in front of the muzzle of his rifle, the trip would have been over for me. i love hunting, but I draw the line at anyone even suggesting I sit with a loaded rifle pointed at me. I love hunting...but not nearly as much as I love life. "Old timer" or not, he would have gotten an earful at that point. No way in hell am I going to abandon common sense jusat to go hunting.

[mom5270]

I am a parent of two former students of this teacher. The local community has banded together and we are trying to raise funds for his defense. If anyone is interested donations can be made at any US BANK to the Craig A. Sjoberg Defense Fund. Mr. Sjoberg is looking at up to $90,000.00 in attorney fees- This is a wonderful man that has really made a difference in our community and in many children lives. It's just very sad- we have also set up an email in which we are sending out updates if you would like to be on the list simply send an email to donatesjoberg@yahoo.com. As for the victim Juan Cortez, we have inquired with the local newspaper in Tacoma however at this time there have been no reports as to if a fund has been opened for his family. In fact they have not reported anything other than the accident. We as a group our very concerned in regards to the fact that a company would send workers into a forest full of hunters without proper safety attire, we have contacted WISHA and have asked that they look into this.