12/10/2010
Hunting Death Third of Season
A Harrison County man becomes the third fatality of the 2010 hunting season in West Virginia.
Natural Resources Police say Ronald Tate, 70, of Salem was discovered dead in the woods he hunted in Lewis County late Thursday afternoon. Investigators say it appears Tate died of injuries suffered in a fall from his tree stand. An autopsy will determine the exact cause of death.
Authorities are unsure of the circumstances surrounding Tate’s fall. His hunting rifle was still on his four-wheeler at the base of the tree.
Concerned relatives discovered Tate when he failed to return home at the end of the day.
Of the three fatal accidents during the 2010 season, two have involved falls from tree stands. A study released a few weeks ago from Ohio State University Medical Center indicated hunters are more likely to die in a tree stand related accident than in a firearms incident.
Investigators say Tate was not wearing a safety harness at the time he fell.