https://elkhornmediagroup.com/...rge-in-baker-county/


Hunting guide killed following firearm discharge in Baker County

By Logan Bagett on Monday, November 11th, 2024 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories



HALFWAY – (Press Release from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office)

On November 10, 2024, at approximately 7:53 a.m. Baker County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch
received a 911 call from an SOS device reporting a hunter had suffered a gunshot wound and
was not breathing.


Deputies and medical personnel responded to the area, which was located along Fish Creek
approximately one and a half miles north of Highway 86 on private property in Halfway,
Oregon. Sheriff Ash deployed Baker County Search and Rescue to assist with transporting the
injured party to medics.


Upon arrival, law enforcement personnel met with the involved parties, Leroy George Trautman
(73yoa) of Beaverton, Oregon and Andrew Mark Krebs (73yoa) of Oregon City, Oregon. Both
men were riding in a side-by-side with their hunting guide, Jon Marshall Nichols (62yoa) of
Halfway, Oregon when they spotted a herd of elk. All parties exited the side-by-side. As
Trautman chambered a round, the rifle discharged striking Nichols in the back. Trautman and
Krebs performed CPR on Nichols but were unsuccessful.


The investigation into this incident is ongoing.


Baker County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Oregon State Police, Halfway Ambulance, and
Baker County Search and Rescue.

That is very sad.

FOUR RULES OF FIREARM HANDLING SAFETY

1. Alway control the muzzle of your firearm (point it in a safe direction).

2. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire.

3. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded and keep it unloaded until ready to fire.

4. Know your target and what is beyond.

A completely avoidable tragedy. At 73 they should have known better.

Sad and stupid!

You NEVER, EVER, chamber a round without the rifle facing in a safe direction !

I just did a Prairie Chicken hunt. In my experience shotgun hunters are the worst for firearm safety. Sweeping others is just the beginning with them.

A sad day for all involved. I wonder what part is age, or perhaps infrequent gun handling makes these things more likely.