The death of a 7-year-old Nelson County child during a hunting expedition with his father and 10-year-old brother remains under investigation by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF), according to published reports. An e-mail to a spokesperson for DGIF was not immediately returned.
According to the 2010-2011 Hunting and Trapping in Virginia (available for download here), hunter education courses are required for ages 12 and older. Those under the age of 12 are exempt, but may not hunt without direct adult supervision. (A report from the Nelson County Times says the father, whose name has not been released, was near.)
While no stats were immediately available on the number of hunting accidents in Virginia this year, there were a few hunting-related accidents and incidents reported in 2009. And here, current as of August 2009, is a list of minimum hunting ages for each state.