12 yr. old JW Boy Dies in Hunting Accident

[The Librarian]

A family's worst nightmare this holiday weekend when a 12-year-old boy died in Attala County in a tree stand incident.

"We've had 22 hunting accidents this year. 15 of those have been hunting - tree stand-related incidents," explained Lieutenant Chris Reed with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks. "So you're twice as likely to have a tree stand accident than you are to have a firearm accident."

MDWFP posted a video to their website discussing the different types of tree stands and harnesses.

"The tree stands involved in most hunting accidents are the lock-ons, the climbers, and the ladder stands," the video explains. "Before using these stands, check your straps, cables and chains."

Any gear you use, you have to make sure to do a yearly inspection. 

"If you leave it up all year and you come back the next year and you expect it to be as strong as it was, you can't rely on that," said Jamey Ray, a salesman with Van's Sporting Goods. "You've got to take all precautions when you're going up the first time for that year to check it, and make sure that this strap is not broken."

"Take five extra minutes. However long it may take. What's your life worth? Is it worth five extra minutes?" added Lieutenant Reed.

http://www.wlox.com/story/34135104/12-year-old-dead-after-attala-co-hunting-accident?clienttype=generic

According to his obituary, a memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 31, at 4pm at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 6517 Jim Ramsay Road in Vancleave, where family and friends may visit two hours prior to the service.