BELGRADE — A local man was seriously injured Monday when he fell from a tree stand while hunting on his family’s property.

William Wadleigh, 58, was taken by ambulance to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston after falling nearly 20 feet and breaking his hip and a vertebra, according to Game Warden Steve Allarie of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

A Central Maine Medical Center spokeswoman said Tuesday she could not confirm Wadleigh was a patient there. But Wadleigh’s brother, Howard Wadleigh, said his brother is expected to undergo surgery at the hospital and be released later this week.

Howard Wadleigh said his brother was in good spirits.

William Wadleigh was hunting deer with a black powder muzzle loader on the first day of the muzzle loader season, which runs through Dec. 10.

The accident happened about 3:30 p.m. Monday as he was alone on the tree stand on his family’s Manchester Road property.

“The seat was very high off the ground,” Allarie said. “He may have (briefly) gone unconscious, but he was able to call for help with a cellphone.”

Belgrade fire and rescue crews hand-carried a stretcher several hundred yards to get Wadleigh out of the woods, Allarie said.

Howard Wadleigh estimated the tree stand to be 18 feet off the ground. He said his brother was familiar with the tree stand. Wardens have not yet determined why Wadleigh fell out of the stand. The investigation is ongoing, Allarie said.

Howard Wadleigh said his brother does not recall how he fell from the stand nor his body’s position when he landed.

Craig Crosby–621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

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