Keith Lusher 01.14.26
A fatal hunting incident is under investigation after a hunter was shot and killed during a managed hog hunt on Cumberland Island National Seashore in Camden County, Georgia.
According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the incident occurred Thursday morning at approximately 10:30 a.m. during the final day of a scheduled three day hunt. Investigators said one hunter was shot by another hunter while hog hunting on the island.
The victim was transported off Cumberland Island to a local hospital but did not survive. The Georgia DNR said it is waiting for confirmation that the victim’s family has been notified and has not yet released the individual’s name.
Game wardens, along with National Park Service rangers and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the scene. All hunting activity on the island was immediately halted, and the area was closed while authorities began investigating.
The Georgia DNR Critical Incident Reconstruction Team will lead the investigation at the request of the National Park Service. Officials said additional details are expected to be released once the investigation is complete, which could take several weeks.
The shooting occurred during a tightly controlled managed hunt aimed at reducing the island’s population of feral hogs, which are considered an invasive species that causes extensive environmental damage. The hunt ran from Jan. 6 through Jan. 8 and was limited to a specific number of permitted hunters.
Participants were required to be at least 14 years old and possess a valid Georgia hunting license. Hunters were allowed to use modern weapons, including centerfire rifles or handguns .22 caliber or larger, as well as 20 gauge or larger shotguns loaded with slugs. Buckshot was prohibited. Hunting hours were restricted to 30 minutes before sunrise through 30 minutes after sunset.
Cumberland Island is Georgia’s largest barrier island and is managed as a national seashore. While hunting is generally prohibited within national parks, the National Park Service authorizes periodic managed hog hunts on the island as a tool to protect sensitive habitats, native vegetation, and wildlife.
Authorities emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that no conclusions have been reached regarding the circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
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