Arkansas Hunter Gored and Killed by Deer He Thought He Shot
OutdoorHub Reporters 10.24.19
The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) says a man has died after being gored by a buck he shot while hunting earlier this week.
The 66-year-old man, Thomas Alexander, was reportedly hunting in the Ozark Mountains Tuesday evening when he shot a buck with his muzzle loader, Keith Stephens, a spokesperson for the AGFC, said. Alexander then phoned his nephew, and made plans to meet him so he could help field dress and pack-out the animal. But when his nephew located him, Alexander was already in critical condition.
“Evidently, it got up and attacked him and he was gored several times,” Stephens said.
Despite his serious injuries, Alexander was alert and talking with his nephew, and was even able to call his wife. However, his condition worsened in a hurry and he stopped breathing by the time paramedics could get him to the hospital.
Officials are not certain the antler wounds are the sole cause of Alexander’s death, the commission said in a statement. There’s a chance he suffered from other medical issues such as a heart attack, but there will be no autopsy to determine C.O.D.
While sustaining injuries from a wounded deer is not unheard of, it is rare.
To that end, it’s recommended you wait at least 30 minutes before getting out of your blind and approaching a deer you put a shot on. Occasionally, hunters will walk up to a deer thinking it has expired when it’s only stunned or injured.
