Bear Hunter Kills Marine in OR

['Ike']

Un-F'n-Believable....

SILVER CREEK FALLS, OR - A Marine from French Camp was shot and killed accidentally on a hiking trip with a friend Friday evening.

Christopher Ochoa, 20, was hiking to the Silver Creek Falls with his friend Raymond Westrom, 53, when he was shot by a man hunting for bears, Marion County sheriff's spokesperson Don Thomson said.

Gene Collier, 67, of Turner, Ore. and his 12-year-old grandson were hunting when Collier saw something move, thinking it was a bear and shot it.

Thomson said the shot hit Ochoa.

 

[Big Fin]

That is a tragedy that is so preventable. I am at a loss for how people shoot at something without identifying their target.

 

[drahthaar]

If I shot at everything I "thought I saw move", I would be out of bullets by 9 am every morning.

How terrible.

 

[b.flyfishn]

That is completely absurd...that man should not have been in the woods with a gun.

 

[BOHNTR]

Know your target..........and beyond.

 

[DavidKeenan]

know Your target. I guess the bear ID test has picture of things that move. There is no excuse for I saw something move. IMO, If a hunter oops a dumb sob should do that . I think they should be charged with man slaughter. I know accidents do happen but of this nature is uncalled for.

 

[Flatrock]

What a terrible tragedy...

 

[HeavyD66]

Terrible tragedy but no excuse for the DUMB*** hunter not to know his target. Hunting is a priviledge, but not every one should have it. Some people are just not smart enough. IMO

 

[Matt]

Not only horrible for the victim, family and friends, with all the recent news about states re-activating bear hunts, this will be foder for the anti's. Stupidity kills, though not as often as it should (and in this case the wrong one).

 

[huntRme]

I heard this story on the news this afternoon. It was reported that the shooter thought the victim was a bear. It did not state that the shooter was hunting bears. So, I have to ask myself, did the shooter actually have a bear tag?

I think I'll quit walking around in the woods on all-4's...it sounds dangerous. Hmmm.

 

[Up North 8]

Semper Fi. Such a tragic story and entirely preventable. This is what gun safety training is for god dammit!