Buzz
Hunting has been an integral part of American culture since the early settlers arrived, with many passing down the tradition through the generations. For some, it's a beloved hobby, offering a sense of solitude and peace amidst the wilderness. But that tranquility can quickly be shattered when the hunter becomes the hunted. The following 10 stories feature individuals who unknowingly ventured into the heart of danger, never to return.
10. The Deer
In 2011, a 62-year-old man from Indiana, Paul J. Smith, was hunting deer at Chain O’Lakes State Park. Around 9:00 AM, he left a voicemail for his son, recounting a struggle with a deer. Smith described how, after shooting the deer and descending from his tree stand, he realized the animal was still alive and fought fiercely for its life.
Smith’s account stated that he and the deer had a physical confrontation before he grabbed a knife and fatally stabbed the animal. After leaving the voicemail, Smith contacted park officials, requesting assistance to transport the deer’s body to the park's check-in station.
When the park rangers arrived, they were shocked to find Smith lying unconscious next to a tree. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him using CPR and a portable defibrillator to restart his heart. Unfortunately, it was too late, and Smith was declared dead at the scene.
The autopsy report revealed that Smith had numerous bruises from his altercation with the deer. It seemed the animal had kicked him, leading to internal bruising and a torn liver, which ultimately caused his death.
9. The Hungry Hippos
With his rifle in hand, Spencer Tyron was seated in his canoe near Lake Rukwa, Tanzania, enjoying a sport hunting expedition. The gunshots may have startled some animals, causing them to flee while drawing the attention of other creatures lurking below the murky water.
Before Tyron realized what was happening, a hippopotamus capsized his canoe, leaving him exposed to the very wildlife he had been hunting. Moments later, the hippo attacked, tearing off his shoulders and head. Months later, a South African man, Marius Els, was killed by his pet hippopotamus, Humphrey, when the 1,200-kilogram (2,600 lb) beast attacked, biting and maiming him to death.
Surprisingly to many, hippos are among the most unpredictable and deadly animals, ranking as some of the most feared creatures in all of Africa. In fact, hippos are responsible for the highest number of wildlife-related deaths in South Africa, surpassing all other animals combined. As the third largest land animal in the world, with a roar as powerful as a lion’s, hippos are notorious for their biting, trampling, and charging behavior, spreading terror across Africa while killing the unaware and unprepared.
8. The Rattlesnake
In 2009, 68-year-old Dick Rupert was hunting in the woods of Georgia with his 12-year-old grandson. Around 7:30 AM, while descending from a tree stand, Rupert was unexpectedly bitten by a rattlesnake on his calf. His grandson quickly rushed to his side.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the grandson tried to transport Rupert on the back of his ATV to a nearby road, but Rupert fell off the ATV twice. By the time the grandson managed to drag him to the road, Rupert was unconscious and slipping into cardiac arrest.
The grandson had started CPR when paramedics arrived, but it was too late. Rupert was declared dead one hour later at the hospital.
Following Rupert’s death, the media in Georgia began warning locals about the dangers of rattlesnakes, especially during this time of year. Rattlesnakes aren't as dangerous during the extreme heat and cold months, as they remain dormant until the weather turns mild. During these times, particularly in wooded areas, people need to be extra vigilant.
7. The Bear
In September 2011, 39-year-old Steven Stevenson from Winnemucca, Nevada, was out hunting black bears in northwest Montana with his 20-year-old friend, Ty Bell. The two soon spotted a potential target. Bell, mistaking a young grizzly bear for a black bear, took a shot and injured the animal.
However, the grizzly didn’t collapse immediately. Instead, it retreated into the woods. Bell and Stevenson pursued the wounded bear, tracking it to a remote location with thick cover. Believing the bear had died, they moved in to claim their kill, unaware that the bear was still alive and very hostile.
The bear lunged at Stevenson and began attacking him. In a desperate attempt to save his friend, Bell fired several shots. Within moments, the bear was dead, but Stevenson had already succumbed.
Though investigators at the scene concluded that Stevenson was mauled to death by the grizzly, the autopsy later revealed that he had actually died from a gunshot wound inflicted by Bell as he tried to stop the bear's attack. No charges were filed against Bell for Stevenson’s death.
6. Tragic Mistake
In 2013, 52-year-old Charles Bruce, a volunteer firefighter with the Malverne Fire Department in Long Island, was on a weekend hunting trip with fellow firefighters, including his best friend and coworker. Late on a Saturday afternoon, Bruce decided to head out of the woods when shots rang out from a hunter’s rifle 50 meters (180 ft) away. Bruce was hit in the chest and died on the spot.
The shooter was Robert Gerbino, Bruce’s best friend and fellow volunteer firefighter. Gerbino told police that he had mistaken Bruce for a deer and fired the shot by accident.
However, police found his explanation troubling and difficult to believe, given that he couldn’t distinguish between a deer and a person. The following year, Gerbino was charged with criminal negligent homicide. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, and the case remains unresolved.
5. The Bison
In June 2012, professional hunter Owain Lewis, employed by Chifuti Safaris, was on a hunt with a client in the Chewore North concession of Zimbabwe when disaster struck. After the hunting group fired at a buffalo in the distance, the wounded animal fled into the desert.
As a professional, Lewis insisted they pursue the buffalo, no matter how long it took. Three days later, they found the injured animal lying on the ground. The two men aimed and fired.
But the buffalo was still alive and managed to stagger a short distance before stopping in a clearing. With his last round left, Lewis aimed at the buffalo, but the shot was ineffective. This time, the buffalo charged Lewis, goring him and throwing him aside like a ragdoll. Lewis died on the spot. The other hunter fired several shots at the buffalo until it was finally killed.
Tremendous support flooded in from those who had known, worked, and hunted alongside Lewis. Many described him as 'exceptionally skilled, knowledgeable, and experienced.' After his death, a memorial fund was established in his honor to aid his widow, who was facing financial difficulties.
4. Poaching in Africa
In recent years, the demand for ivory in China has surged, leading to an escalating crisis as poachers target elephants for their tusks and skin. The situation worsened in 2007 when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species temporarily lifted the ban on illegal ivory sales. From 2010 to 2012 alone, poachers killed at least 100,000 elephants across Africa.
In 2015, armed poachers in southern Kenya's Choke Ranch killed an elephant on private property. Unlike the other cases, these poachers weren’t pursued by animals but by the wildlife rangers who swiftly arrived on the scene.
To the poachers' surprise, the rangers were armed as well, leading to an immediate firefight. In the end, one poacher was killed, and the others fled on foot. Reports suggested that the poachers were preparing to remove the tusks from the elephant when the rangers arrived. Some human rights organizations, including Muslims for Human Rights, accused the rangers of acting as judge and executioner by killing suspects they believed to be poachers.
3. The Tiger
In 1997, in the remote mountains of the Russian Far East, Vladimir Markov, a seasoned poacher, trekked through the snowy terrain in search of a prized kill. One day, he shot at a tiger that refused to die.
Wounded and bleeding, the tiger fled into the wild but returned shortly after. In a turn of events straight out of a movie, the tiger tracked Markov’s cabin, destroying everything that bore his scent. Afterward, the tiger patiently waited for the man’s return.
Reports indicate that the tiger exhibited a methodical approach, waiting calmly for as long as 48 hours. When Markov finally came out of the woods and made his way toward his cabin, the tiger launched an attack, dragging him into the bushes and eventually consuming him. This event inspired the book, The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant, which explores the animal’s chillingly premeditated hunt and kill.
2. The Elephant
In 2015, 55-year-old Ian Gibson, a seasoned hunter, was guiding a hunt for Chifuti Safaris when he was fatally injured by an animal. Accompanied by an American client in Chewore North, Zimbabwe, Gibson spotted a young bull elephant in the distance and decided to give chase. A colleague of Gibson’s described the elephant as being in musth, a condition that dramatically heightens the animal’s mating urges, making it extremely aggressive.
At one point, Gibson closed the distance to within 30-50 meters (100-150 ft), when the bull elephant turned and charged. Gibson managed to fire a shot at the elephant, but the animal relentlessly charged forward, eventually trampling Gibson to death. The client, however, remained unharmed.
1. The Lion
In 2015, 24-year-old Matome Mahlale from South Africa ventured onto a private farm with four other men and their dogs. The group set out to hunt, though their actions were unlawful as they lacked the proper hunting license.
After 9:00 PM, the group was ambushed by two lions that charged at them. While one man managed to flee to safety, three others took refuge in a tree. Unfortunately, Mahlale was not as quick, and he, along with two hunting dogs, was overpowered and mauled by the lions.
Illegal hunting has increasingly become a challenge for law enforcement in South Africa, particularly given the limited resources available to tackle the issue. The vast expanse of land complicates the situation, with one official admitting that preventing all unlawful hunting would be impossible.
Mahlale's death occurred shortly after the killing of Cecil the Lion by an American hunter. Consequently, there was little empathy for the illegal hunter, with some suggesting that it was a lion's way of attempting to "turn the tables."
