Vermont hunter shot, critically wounded after being mistaken for bear

A man was shot and critically injured while hunting in Vermont over the weekend when another hunter mistook him for a bear, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. 

The incident occurred on private land in the town of Huntington, Vt. The man was shot on Saturday. 

The victim, 35-year-old James Cameron of Fairfax, Vt., was approaching a tree strand in a wooded area near Main Road when he was struck once by a bullet. The round was fired by another hunter, who told authorities he thought he was shooting a bear. Cameron was shot in the abdomen. 

A third hunter placed a 911 call on Saturday morning. Members of the Vermont Warden Service and troopers with the Vermont State Police responded to the scene. 

First responders brought Cameron to the University of Vermont Medical Center. He remained in critical condition Monday. 

When the shooting happened, none of the hunters involved were wearing blaze orange, officials said. Clothing in this color is considered important safety equipment, and people are highly encouraged to wear blaze orange while actively hunting.

“These incidents are highly preventable and highlight the importance of positively identifying your target while hunting,” Game Warden Detective Sergeant Robert Currier said in a statement. “The Vermont Warden Service encourages hunters and the general public to wear blaze orange while in the field during Vermont’s hunting seasons.”

The Vermont Warden Service is actively investigating the incident.