Falling Black Bear Kills Virginia Hound Hunter

Lester C. Harvey, 58, was chasing a black bear with hounds alongside several other hunters on the morning of December 9, 2024, in Lunenburg County, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). The group had treed a bear, and most of the other hunters stepped away from the base of the tree as one of the hunters took a shot.

However, according to a Facebook post by Harvey’s wife, Harvey was still about 10 feet from the base of the tree to “get his dog.” The bear fell out of the tree and struck him, and he sustained serious enough injuries that his hunting party called emergency medical services.

They provided first aid until EMS arrived, and Harvey was taken to a hospital in Richmond. He died of his injuries four days later, on December 13.

The exact nature of the incident remains a mystery, but a spokesperson for the Virginia DWR told MeatEater that the bear weighed approximately 110 pounds. The spokesperson couldn’t specify Harvey’s injuries, but when he was first taken to the hospital, he was described as being in “serious but stable condition.” It’s unclear why his condition deteriorated.

The Virginia DWR confirmed to MeatEater that agency law enforcement is not “currently seeking any charges related to this incident.”

Harvey was a self-employed contractor, a husband and father of five, and a grandfather of eight.

“Lester was a friend to all and never met a stranger. He was an avid outdoorsman,” his obituary reads.

A review of Harvey’s Facebook account confirms that he was an avid houndsman. On September 25, he shared a post informing the general public that hound dogs would be running raccoons, deer, rabbits, and squirrels that time of year, and asking that residents contact dog owners if they find the dogs on their property.

When one of his own dogs went missing, he posted an image of the dog nearly every day between July 9 and July 30, offering a reward and asking if anyone had seen it.

On November 15 he posted an image of a black bear and a group of hunters with the caption, “What a day dogs are on fire.”

Predictably, animal rights activists haven’t passed on the opportunity to criticize Harvey even after his death. “I [heart emoji] hunting accidents,” wrote one user named Buffy Isaacs under an image of Harvey with a bear.

Others called the hunting photo “disgusting” and “murder,” while another named Kurtis Heckermatt wrote, “Is this the dude who got harvested by the falling bear? I guess there's justice in the world.”

“Lester Harvey a lot of weight to carry on one's head, eh? Can be easily avoided, though,” wrote Eduard Santakreuz.

While those who clearly didn't know Harvey have sounded off on social media, April Harvey, Lester Harvey's wife, made her own statement on Facebook.

“He wasn’t doing anything wrong he was just getting his dog!” April said. “I am trying so hard to keep my faith in God but this has destroyed my life so it’s really kind of hard! You were the best husband! I love you so much and will the rest of my life!”

Harvey’s funeral service is scheduled for December 19 at a local Methodist church, with interment to follow in the church cemetery.

Images via Lester Harvey's Facebook.