The 2004 shootings killed six hunters and wounded two others near Exeland.
HAYWARD, Wis. — The death of convicted killer Chai Vang has reopened public memory of the 2004 tree stand killings, when six hunters were shot to death in Sawyer County during opening weekend of deer season.
Vang, a 57-year-old former St. Paul resident, died at a hospital while in Wisconsin custody. He was serving six life sentences for the killings, which began as a dispute over a tree stand on private land south of Hayward.
The confrontation happened near Exeland on Nov. 21, 2004. Investigators said hunters confronted Vang after finding him on private hunting property. Six people were killed and two survived gunshot wounds. The attack became known across the region as the tree stand killings.
At trial, Vang said he feared for his life and claimed the other hunters threatened him. Prosecutors said the evidence showed murder, not self-defense. Jurors convicted him in September 2005, and a judge later ordered six life terms plus additional prison time.
The case carried deep local weight because deer season is tied closely to family, tradition and rural life in northern Wisconsin. The victims were members of a hunting party gathered for a yearly trip. The violence also stirred difficult conversations about race, land access and tensions between local and visiting hunters.
Wisconsin corrections officials confirmed Vang’s death Friday. They said federal health privacy rules barred the release of more medical information. Court records listed his death as June 10, ending his sentence after more than 20 years in prison.
No new hearing or court action is expected beyond routine record updates tied to his death. For the families and survivors, the case remains marked by the 2004 shootings, the 2005 conviction and the long years that followed.
Author note: Last updated June 14, 2026.