Hiker fatally shot by hunter

[Beefcake]

"I thought it was a bear" is unacceptable unless the dead Marine was in a bear suit crawling around in the woods! You have to know!

The inside-scoop on a local hunting website is that the "hiker" was wearing a black hoody sweatshirt with the hood up, and that he was crawling on all fours picking magical mushrooms while trespassing on private property. I don't know if this is fact, but it might explain why the DA hasn't pressed charges, eh?

 

[SonicBlue03]

Yes, because a local hunting website would be an impartial news source regarding a hunter killing a hiker. I'm sure the Marine Corps would appreciate their take on one of their own "crawling around on all fours looking for magic mushrooms..."

DAs turning charges around on whether to prosecute an accidental shooting in a week or less would be impressive; I suspect they're gathering data before they decide whether to rule this accidental/unfortunate or negligent homicide (or involuntary manslaughter.)

 

[Devon S]

Hunters education teaches us to be sure of target and what is beyond before you even put your finger on the trigger. To me its common sense to be sure of shot placement. Its unsportsman like to wound animals

 

[dolooper]

The inside-scoop on a local hunting website is that the "hiker" was wearing a black hoody sweatshirt with the hood up, and that he was crawling on all fours picking magical mushrooms while trespassing on private property. I don't know if this is fact, but it might explain why the DA hasn't pressed charges, eh?

Did the shooter get the SportsPac? The one that includes a tag for black hoody wearing, magic mushroom picking, on all fours United States Marines? If not, then maybe he didn't fully identify his target.

 

[sadiesassy]

If the basic principal for handling a firearms is that you need to identify what you are about to kill before you shoot- then there is no arguement for even thinking about the defense of someone crawling around on all fours.
If you cannot clearly identify it - you do not shoot.

Way to many people shoot at movement and shapes. I gave up hunting for a long time after being shot at a couple times. And I was very visible.

 

[Ligito]

wow - you need to cool off and re-read this stuff. no one is saying the guy is not at fault. How about a glass of milk and some cookies

What happens if his trigger finger twitches, when he nods off to milk and cookie addiction?

 

[DieselScout]

The inside-scoop on a local hunting website is that the "hiker" was wearing a black hoody sweatshirt with the hood up, and that he was crawling on all fours picking magical mushrooms while trespassing on private property. I don't know if this is fact, but it might explain why the DA hasn't pressed charges, eh?

Inside from who?

The inside scoop from the local bear impersonating mushroom picker site was the hunter was blind in one eye and had a botched Lasik procedure in the other.

See, it's all here say and rumor and means exactly nothing. The fact is a hunter shot a person, a situation we all as hunters should be concerned about. It should further go as a reminder to EVERYONE of the basic firearms rules, and to always be 100% sure of what you are shooting at. It should remind non hunters that there are other uses going on in the woods and taking some common sense precautions may help you avoid an accident. Then again it may not as accidents, preventable or otherwise do happen.

 

[Beefcake]

I am not defending the guy; I don't know what really happened. I agree that target identification is the most basic responsibility of a hunter. My hunting party has been shot at by some idiot "shooting at noise" as we were attempting to drive deer toward a clearing, so I know the stupidity shown by the lowest common denominator. However, if the account I read is true, I can see how this tragedy could have happened. At 100-150 yards with open sights (hypothetically; again, I don't know the facts), on property closed to the public, I could see my mind processing and believing that the all-black bear-sized creature crawling slowly through the tall grass is in fact a bear. If the account I read is true, this is nothing like the highly-publicized case a while back where a woman shot her brightly-dressed husband using a rifle equipped with a "high-end light-enhancing scope" (according to the tv reports) as he walked out of the woods toward the truck and claimed she thought he was a bear.

I normally wouldn't post 3rd hand information, and I don't want to discredit the poor guy that got shot. I just think it's amazing that everyone is willing to accept the sound bites from the local news as gospel and crucify the hunter without questioning whether there were extenuating circumstances.

 

[DieselScout]

I normally wouldn't post 3rd hand information, and I don't want to discredit the poor guy that got shot. I just think it's amazing that everyone is willing to accept the sound bites from the local news as gospel and crucify the hunter without questioning whether there were extenuating circumstances.

I would agree with you on the sound bytes, but what extenuating circumstances? It would be one thing if he was wearing a bear costume, but he wasn't, he was dressed like a human. Regardless of what I think, or what anyone else thinks the situation will be investigated and I am sure if the DA feels they have a case against him they will prosecute. The family could also take it to civil court if they wanted too. I know I would never want to be in that hunter position, and I know I never will be. For the record neither should he.

 

[shockme]

theres really no exscuess for shooting at movment .... period we went elk hunting this year ...a hair tag and i would never shoot at just hair .... - people we have to know what we are shooting at !

 

[Boedy]

I live in the area this happened and know the area well, I to have heard that the guy who was shot was as Beefcake pointed out trespassing, wearing a black hoody that was crawling around on all fours at dusk picking mushrooms. He wasn't "hiking". There is no access to the park down that ridge and who goes in the back side of the park at night to see the falls when you can drive right up to it.

Regardless it is still the trigger puller who is responsible for his actions and he is fully at fault.

With that being said, most of us take appropriate actions when in the field to try and prevent being mistaken for game so your risk of being shot goes up when you are in a area you shouldn't be IE trespassing at dusk in dark clothing and on all fours. The point being is the poor man who was shot made several bad decisions that put him self at very high risk and it ended in a him being shot. Yes the trigger puller should have identified his target better and yes he is and will be held accountable for his actions. Its all very sad and avoidable accident.

 

[DieselScout]

I don't know if this is fact, but it might explain why the DA hasn't pressed charges, eh?

Charges have been filed. A bad situation for all involved, but frankly the hunter had complete control over it and now must suffer the consequences.

<broken link removed>

NEAR SUBLIMITY, Ore. &#8211; A hunter who thought he was shooting a bear when he shot a hiker near Silver Creek Falls State Park in October has been charged with criminally negligent homicide, according to a Marion County Court clerk.

Eugene Collier, 67, shot Christopher Ochoa, 20, on Oct. 21.

A grand jury handed down the indictment on Monday.

Marion County sheriff's deputies said Ochoa and his friend Raymond Westrom, 53, were hiking to Silver Creek Falls. At the same time, Collier and his grandson were hunting bear in the area. Collier told deputies he saw what he thought was a bear moving in the brush and fired a shot from his hunting rifle, deputies said.

The shot struck Ochoa, deputies said. He died at the scene.

Both Ochoa and Westrom were wearing dark clothing, deputies said.

Collier's grandson was away from the shooting when it happened, and was not a witness, according to deputies.

Ochoa was an active Marine Corps Reservist who was due to report back for duty on Oct. 25.

Collier is scheduled to be in court on Nov. 22.

 

[hatchetjack]

I am from the same small town as the victim and know his father. It has been a tragedy for the family and my prayers are with them.

 

[SonicBlue03]

The inside-scoop on a local hunting website is that the "hiker" was wearing a black hoody sweatshirt with the hood up, and that he was crawling on all fours picking magical mushrooms while trespassing on private property. I don't know if this is fact, but it might explain why the DA hasn't pressed charges, eh?

The inside scoop from local people with common sense is that people from that local hunting site are bucktoothed, inbred morons. I like how they besmirched a Marine Reservist's name without any actual facts. Where can we sign up to join those wonderful folk?

 

[Boedy]

I don't think anyone is besmirching the Marines name at all. I myself am Combat Vet (US ARMY) and the respect I have for all our brave military is beyond reproach.

The posts here where not negative or blaming the Marine but only pointing out first hand info on the area he was in at the time. The only facts I know for certain is on the area it happened and my knowledge of the State Park boundaries and access points. The other facts we get come from news and sheriff's reports that state he was wearing dark clothing and that it happened at dusk. The rest is hearsay from locals and was just noted as possible factors that could have raised the danger level as clearly things came together tragically leading up to this shooting, a chain of events if you will that lead up to and contributed to the shooting, like the time of day it happened the trespassing the dark clothing and the position he was in at the time. All these things may have factored into the incident, but it ultimately ends with the man who pulled the trigger on a unidentified target. No one is removing his guilt or accountability for his actions, he is totally responsible and the buck stops with him.

The post I saw and commented on were only pointing out that this was not some guy hiking a trail in a state park as many had thought when they first read the story.

 

[Rapid1]

I'd still bet that if that marine had an orange vest or something of the sort, he would still be alive. just sayin...

 

[wabbithunter]

Great another FALLEN HERO, done by the people we protect, (sry i have'ny read the whole story yet) BUT it FRACKEN pisses me off when i see somthing like that. I don't know if the man that got shot deployed or not THAT does'nt matter! if your in the ARMED FORCE of the USA thats all it matters. To serve your country and come home and enjoy past time(Hunting/ or what ever) and get killed by some ^%$@. SRY ALL but had to VENT, on this..... TO ALL the young/old men and woman that serve an had served, my hat off to you..

Retired USAF, MSgt