Hunter mistakes man for bear

Betallsports · Oct 22, 2011

SUBLIMITY, Ore. — A California member of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves was shot and killed in Oregon after authorities say a hunter mistook him for a bear.

Christopher A. Ochoa, a 20-year-old from French Camp, Calif., and his friend, Raymond Westrom, 53, were hiking through a field in Western Oregon on the way to Silver Creek Falls Park on Friday evening. Ochoa was wearing dark-colored clothing.

The Marion County Sheriff's Office says a 67-year-old Oregon man hunting for bear with his 12-year-old grandson saw something moving in the brush and fired one shot from a .270-caliber rifle, striking Ochoa.

The sheriff's office says the hunter, Gene Collier, hasn't been charged, but turned the case over to the local district attorney's office.

Ochoa was alive when deputies arrived, but died at the scene.

Ochoa and Westrom had traveled to Salem to do work on a house before their hiking trip, Ochoa’s family told investigators, The Oregonian reported.

bigtendominator · Oct 22, 2011

This is why these dumb fucks shouldn't hunt to begin with.

Shoot the dumb bastard for being a dumb blind fuck!

Legend-I-Aint · Oct 23, 2011

bigtendominator said:
This is why these dumb fucks shouldn't hunt to begin with.

Shoot the dumb bastard for being a dumb blind fuck!

Reading the story is one to assume that this old coot just fired into the brush but didn't actually see what he was firing at? Wow! Insane!

mrcrash · Oct 23, 2011

67 years old and a shooting a gun....no I can't ever imagine a problem

Doug · Oct 23, 2011

I don't think being 67 is the problem.

steaktartar · Oct 23, 2011

dick cheney?

quantumleap · Oct 23, 2011

This is why you wear bright camouflage clothing when hiking through places where people might be hunting.

Doug · Oct 23, 2011

Tough case here. The young man isn't required to wear orange, but a decent idea.

The older guy seems to be the sort that would shoot at anything that moves.

The kid is dead, now what to do ? Putting the old guy away for life accomplishes little, but you have to do something....can't have these Elmer Fudds running around shooting at anything moving.

sad case.... but I don't see it being very age related.

Sekrah · Oct 23, 2011

It's always takes two idiots for the perfect recipe in these hunting accidents. Sounds like that's once again the case here.

Doug · Oct 23, 2011

I'd like to have more facts here before passing any judgement.

Hard to fault this Ochoa guy...at first glance, was he wearing a bear or Bigfoot costume ?

Is it bear hunting season ? Is it legal to hunt where this happened ?

was the older guy maybe drunk or a person with some firearms violations ?

Not enough details here.

It clearly seems to not be murder ( as in planned).

I don't know what to do with the older guy....let me see his history.

Sekrah · Oct 23, 2011

Ochoa was wearing dark-colored clothing.

I'm assuming it is bear season and I'm assuming the law requires hunters to wear some short of orange. I'm not lifting complete blame off the old man (he certaintly deserves some), but the victim here was clearly in the stupid.

Doug · Oct 23, 2011

I don't know the law or the seasons for bear in Oregon. Hunters must wear orange, OK, I guess.

Now if I'm just hiking around, I have to wear Orange as well ? Not saying it's not a bad idea !

If Elmer mistakes me for a bear, I'm Fucked, I guess ?

should be some decent visual contact and I hope that hunter has bear tags and no prior violations before I ban him from ever owning a firearm ( as the judge) and then think of some way to make a sentence on the guy that makes sense.

barman · Oct 23, 2011

quantumleap said:
This is why you wear bright camouflage clothing when hiking through places where people might be hunting.

Friendly smile as we note that "bright" would be the antonym for "camouflage" clothing

barman · Oct 23, 2011

"I thought I was pressing the brake pedal....I'm so confused right now....."

festeringZit · Sep 21, 2017

DrunkenHorseplayer · Sep 21, 2017

The shooter is entirely at fault; you have to be sure of your target before you fire.

StevieRay · Sep 21, 2017

Elmer Fudd. Lol

cy1981 · Sep 21, 2017

mrcrash said:
67 years old and a shooting a gun....no I can't ever imagine a problem

I know 67 years old guys who could hit a dime with a rifle from 100 yards. His 67 years on earth didn't cause his misjudgement in shooting at something he couldn't see for sure.

Ladeda · Sep 22, 2017

Sekrah said:
It's always takes two idiots for the perfect recipe in these hunting accidents. Sounds like that's once again the case here.

What do you mean two idiots. What did the guy who got shot do wrong? Not wear orange. I've been in the woods camping and hiking plenty of times, I've never even thought to were bright orange.

I live in Pennsylvania and I'm not a hunter, but I do know there is a hunting season and that people do hunt, but I have no idea when and what time of year. Am I supposed to have my whole family wear bright orange anytime we are near a wooded area?