Bear Hunting Incident Generates Many Questions

The recent fatal incident in Skagit County has raised questions from both the general public and the media. Some were surprised that hunting seasons have already begun while hikers and families were afield, while others wondered aloud how juvenile hunters could legally hunt alone. (NOTE: Bear season in western Washington historically starts on August 1. A 14 year-old shooter shot and killed a female hiker at a distance of approximately 120 yards, mistaking her for a bear. The youth successfully completed hunter education and had all necessary license documents--making him completely legal afield despite his age and the fact that he was not being supervised by an adult hunter.)

We all know that every hunting incident is a terrible tragedy, regardless of the underlying facts. We also know that strict adherence to basic hunting safety rules could have prevented the incident. The official investigation in this hunting incident continues and we will provide additional details as they become available.

Youth under 15 years of age have been responsible for roughly 12 per cent of hunting incidents here in Washington since 1980. During that time 61 individuals 15 or younger have been involved as shooters in hunting incidents (NOTE: This 61 figure includes about 20 self-inflicted injuries.).