The Superior man who died in a hunting accident Friday bled to death after being shot in the leg by his crossbow, authorities reported today.
Based on the medical examiner's report, it appears Robert E. Culliton, 68, was having a heart attack and descended from his tree stand without first securing his crossbow, said Detective Sgt. Ed Anderson of the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. The crossbow discharged and the arrow entered his leg, severing a major vein and causing severe bleeding.
Emergency responders from Douglas County and Cloverland Township were summoned to the Becks Road area of Cloverland where Culliton's tree stand was located. Culliton was dead at the scene. He had been hunting with two other people.
The Douglas County Sheriff's Department ruled the death an accident and closed its investigation. The accident is also being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
