OSU graduate student dies in tragic accident while duck hunting
By Kilee Thomas
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STILLWATER, Oklahoma (KOCO) — An Oklahoma State University graduate student died in a tragic accident while duck hunting at Sooner Lake.
Oklahoma Game Wardens said while the tragedy is uncommon, it can happen to any hunter. What started as a day duck hunting turned fatal in a flash.
“One of my officers contacted me yesterday a little bit before noon, said he was responding to a possible drowning at Sooner Lake,” said Capt. Ben Bickerstaff with Oklahoma Game Wardens.
On Monday, OSU confirmed one of their graduate students, 24-year-old Jackson Williams, died on Sunday in a hunting accident. Oklahoma Game Wardens said Williams was retrieving a duck at Sooner Lake when he hit a drop-off and never resurfaced.
“Went to retrieve a downed duck and got up over his waders and went under the surface of the water and did not come back up,” Bickerstaff said.
Waders are used to keep hunters dry but when water gets in, the apparel can act as an inescapable weight.
“They come up to your chest and keep you from getting wet and cold and if water gets in, it can rush in and really weigh you down to where you can’t get out,” Bickerstaff said.
Bickerstaff advised hunters to use a stick to probe the lake floor for drop-offs along with a wader belt.
“It cinches up tight around your waist and the top part of the waders. That restricts the amount of water that can come in if you do stumble and fall or go in water above your head. Our hearts go out to the family and the friends and loved ones of this young man. We want to make sure everyone knows that our hearts and prayers are with them,” Bickerstaff said.
Williams was a graduate student at OSU in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. The school said he also served as the OSU Extension Agriculture and 4H Educator in Logan County.
In a statement, OSU said, “He was a genuine and respectable young man, passionate about being a soil scientist and loved rodeo and helping others. Our hearts go out to Jackson’s parents and family, friends, co-workers, the 4-H’ers and producers he advised and his former OSU Rodeo team members.”
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