Hunter Injured While Hunting Alone Near Kingston New York

The 2024 Hunting Season in New York is coming to a close at the end of December and so far it appears to have been a relatively safe season for most hunters. However, the Ulster County Sheriff did report last week that a hunter had been hospitalized on November 30th.

Regular deer hunting season, also known as rifle season opened in our area on November 16th and ends this weekend. We are in the Southern Zone according to the New York State Department of Environment Conservations Hunting Map and after this weekend we move into late bow season.

Ulster County Man Shot in Hunting Accident

With rifle season open the past few weeks, hunters have been careful when entering the woods but even when you take precautions accidents can happen. On November 30th a 26-year-old Catskill man was injured in a hunting accident.

Ulster County Sheriff's Deputies were called to an area of Woods Road in the Town of Kingston. There was a report of a male with a gunshot wound. The deputies arrived at the scene to discover the 26-year-old man who had called 911 himself after walking out of the woods was waiting at his pickup truck.

Hunter Airlifted to Westchester with a Gun Shot Wound

The man had sustained a single gunshot wound to his left forearm which the report referred to as large. The deputies were able to render aid while waiting for Empress MLSS and the Sawkill Fire Department. More aid was administered at the scene and then the man was transported to a nearby landing zone and then airlifted to Westchester Medical Center by LifeNet.

According to the Ulster County Sheriff's report, the preliminary investigation found that the man had been hunting alone with a 30/30 level action rifle with the firing hammer exposed. The rifle appears to have unexpectedly discharged when the man was making his way up into his tree stand.

How Many Hunting Accidents Happen Each Year

According to statistics from 2021 the NYS DEC hunting accidents have declined in New York State. Good Guys Injury Law would disagree according to their number for the United States as a whole there are approximately 1,000 hunting accidents per year that result in about 100 fatalities.

No matter who is correct the point is to stay safe out there and be sure to follow hunting safety protocols. The Airforce Safety Center recently compiled a list of tips.

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