By Eric Pickhartz
Authorities and wildlife officials with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission have reported the death of 66-year-old Thomas Alexander, who shot a buck near Yellville with a muzzleloader.
“I’ve worked for the Game and Fish Commission for 20 years, and it’s one of the stranger things that’s happened,” said Keith Stephens, the Chief of Communications with the agency, according to KY3.com.
When the hunter approached the downed deer he’d just shot, it apparently attacked him, inflicting a number of puncture wounds. Alexander was able to call his family after the attack, who called emergency responders, but the hunter died later at a hospital.
Here’s more on the story from KY3 News . . .
“I don’t know how long he left it there, but he went up to check it to make sure it was dead. And evidently it wasn’t,” Stephens said. “It got back up, and he had several puncture wounds on his body.”
It’s still unclear if Alexander indeed died of the puncture wounds, or whether it was another cause, such as a heart attack.
“It’s my understanding there’s not going to be an autopsy, so we may never know what actually happened,” Stephens said.
Arkansas has seen one other similar incident, from four years ago, in which someone got stuck by a buck’s antlers. “It was pretty significant, but they did survive,” Stephens said.
As most deer hunters know, it’s vital to be fully aware and prepared when approaching a downed game animal. Typically, you should allow about 30 minutes of no movement before approaching it.
Be careful out there.
