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Oregon Hunter Impaled by Elk

Hunters are well aware of the dangers posed by the animals they target, but sometimes even after the animal is dead it can still pose a threat. In a freak accident, a hunter in Oregon was impaled by the elk he had just shot after his four-wheeler overturned on a steep hillside.

Gary Heeter, 69, was hunting in a remote section of the Maury Mountains in Central Oregon when he took down an elk. While dragging the animal back to his hunting camp, the four-wheeler flipped over and he tumbled backward landing on the antlers, according to The Oregonian newspaper.

Members of his group helped to stop the blood flow as they called for emergency responders. When his friends arrived they found the man conscious but going into shock. A helicopter called to evacuate the man was delayed in finding a suitable place to land both for the rough terrain and heavy winds.

According to KATU news, the man was said to be recovering in a hospital.

Photo credit: Crook County Sheriffs via KOIN