There was a deer hunting fatality on Washington Island Sunday in the early evening. The call came in to the Door County Sheriff’s Office just after 5:00 pm from a location on the north end of Main Road, towards Boyer’s Bluff. Wisconsin DNR Warden Darren Kuhn reports that just after the close of legal hunting hours, a 65 year-old man was exiting his hunting blind on the ground when he stumbled. As a result, his firearm discharged, and he passed away. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined. The Washington Island Police responded with the Door County Sheriff’s Office, and a DNR warden traveled to the island by boat to respond as well. The 65 year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. The hunter has now been identified as Steven E. Hoogester of West Bend, WI. The DNR continues to investigate the incident along with the Brown County Medical Examiner’s Office. The incident remains open pending the autopsy report.
