ROCKPORT, Wash. - A 54-year-old woman was shot and killed Saturday by a boy who was hunting bear in Skagit County, sheriff's deputies said.

The woman, a resident of Oso, was hiking with a friend in the area of Sauk Mountain near Rockport when the shooting occurred.

Deputies were called to the scene at about 10:35 a.m., said Will Reichardt, chief criminal deputy with the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office.

According to a preliminary investigation, the woman was stopped on the trail putting something into her backpack when the hunter mistook her for a bear and fired one shot, which killed her.

The victim fell down a steep hillside after the shooting. Deputies were able to reach the victim and were able to confirm her death.

Due to the rugged terrain where the victims body fell, emergency search and rescue ground crew volunteers trained to negotiate this type of terrain were called in. They assisted deputies and the Skagit County coroner in recovering the victim’s body.

The hunter is a juvenile from the Concrete area and was accompanied by at least one adult. He is talking with investigators and no one is in custody at this time.

Detectives from the Skagit County sheriff's detectives, as well as an officer from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, are investigating.

The name of the victim was not released.

More information will be released as it becomes available.

The way I am, I'd shoot 'bear-hunters' down and it wouldn't necessarily hurt my feelings...

i have no problem with hunters. its a way of life for alot of people. what i dont care for is people who shoot and kill animals for no reason at all...i am all for hunting for population control, food, clothing and all that shit.I used to hunt alot myself and loved it. but now im not to fond of wild meat so to speak and i dont hunt.

the bear hunters i hate are the ones who dont hunt themself..they just let their dogs go and do it for them then shoot a helpless bear out of a tree, i think that is bullshit..be a man and walk the woods and hunt it yourself. i would have no problem with that

and i am aginst tree stands and camo tents and all that bullshit unfair advantage crap...hunting is as much a skill as anything and should remain that way..IMO

No problem with hunters here either...especially deer hunters...in fact, we need MORE deer hunting where I am....shit....like giant rats, I tell ya. Anyways...this story is tragic, I'm sure the boy is pissing himself right now.

BUT REALLY HOW BAD IS YOUR EYESIGHT IF A WOMAN LOOKS LIKE A BEAR???!!!

or even worse if your that big and ugly you look like a bear..lmfao

I don't have any problem with hunting we eat a lot of deer meat and hunting provides that for us....deer tenderloin is especially good

She should have worn brighter clothing, as that flourescent "safety" orange does distinguish humans from animals when walking in areas with hunters around.

But that s just it Tyler, we live in an area full of animals and a great many people hunt here. So for a good portion of the year you cant just go for a walk in the woods with out running into some hunter and or his dogs...and i don't own anything that is hunter orange. Their dogs run thru everyones yards killing any animal smaller than them..ie. cats, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep etc

Anyway what I was trying to say is that a person isn't always wearing orange or bright clothing when they are out in the woods walking since you don't always know where the hunters are hunting on any given day.

you shouldn't have to wear bright colors to expect not to be shot as long as you're not an illegal climbing in someone's window in the middle of the night

all the more reason to use CAUTION WHEN WALKING IN THE FUCKING WOODS DURING HUNTING SEASON...its not an issue of should you have to or not, its common freggin sense. I mean seriously is it worth your life to not spend a couple of bucks on something hunters orange? walking in the woods isn't a fashion show.

maybe just cuz i grew up hunting and all that woodsy stuff , caution in the woods is a normal thing to me...i dunno..i got no prob putting on the orange when i trek into the woods.

after reading this story i would think it would sound like a damn good idea to anyone else deciding to take a stroll in the woods during hunting season. spend 10 bucks and atleast buy a fucking ORANGE HAT and dont get shot!

I'm glad someone knows what I'm talkin' about.

well true enough you should wear something brightly colored but not everyone is that smart Dave so it's up to the hunter's to be careful

When it comes to being careful in the great outdoors....really EVERYONE has to use their brains, be it hunters, hikers, etc.

im sure not many people who shoot someone durring hunting season dont do it on purpose..lol

and from all the shooting related stories i have read that i can personally recall, nobody who was ever accidently shot was wearing ORANGE.

orange and woods go together like seatbelts and cars or peanutbutter and jelly..lol

Or like Rob and gloryholes

or like cheese and crackers

Is that related to the band I Wrestled a Bear.......