WDFW statement
On Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022 around 9:45 a.m., Wahkiakum County Emergency Management Services and Sheriff's Office and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police responded to a report of a hunting incident in Cathlamet at the Elochoman Slough. A shotgun discharge seriously injured a 53-year-old male from Cowlitz County.
It was reported that the two friends were duck hunting in a small boat that morning and, while retrieving ducks from the water, the shooter’s shotgun fell over from a propped-up position. In an attempt to retrieve the shotgun, the shooter fired the firearm striking the victim. The shooter immediately called 911 and transported the victim to the Cathlamet Marina where he met medical aid. The victim was transported to Longview and then flown to Vancouver's SW Medical Center where he is currently in stable condition recovering from his injuries.