Rodeo star in Oklahoma dies in strange duck hunting mishap: 'In a panic, in cold water'

A young rodeo enthusiast who had recently graduated with his master's degree tragically died over the weekend in a strange duck hunting mishap in Oklahoma.

On Sunday, 24-year-old Jackson Williams headed out for a fun day of duck hunting at Sooner Lake, located about 75 miles west of Tulsa. Unfortunately, when Williams went out to retrieve a duck, he "hit a drop off," causing his waders to fill with water quickly, said a statement from the Oklahoma Game Wardens, weighing him down.

Williams "did not return to the surface."

Some game wardens joined forces with members of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lake Patrol unit to locate Williams' body and bring it back to the surface.

"[Waders are] hard to get in and out of, even on dry land," remarked OGW Capt. Ben Bickerstaff, "and in a panic, in cold water, it can be really tough."

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to this young man’s friends and family," the OGW statement added. "The hunting community is small and close knit, he will be missed."

Williams managed to accomplish much in his short life. According to an obituary, he grew up in Greenbrier, Arkansas, and earned an associate's and undergraduate degree in agriculture-related fields before pursuing a master's degree in crop and field science at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

Some media outlets have described Williams as a current graduate student, but his obituary claimed that he had already "received his master's degree." There have been no reports that he had begun a doctoral or other post-graduate program.

A lover of "rodeoing, duck hunting, and turkey hunting," Williams had also made a name for himself on the competitive rodeo circuit. He finished in the top 20 at his first Ote Berry Junior World Championship competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also joined the rodeo team at OSU for a time. The team released a statement about his passing:

Oklahoma State issued a similar tribute to Williams: "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."

Williams' funeral will be held on December 18 at the Greenbrier Church of the Nazarene, where Williams was a member.

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