Two men who were in a fishing competition in Alabama on Saturday put their poles down and started taking video when they saw a buck giving chase to a couple of does across the lake — but then they were suddenly shaken up when a hunter fired two shots at the deer, just 25 yards away from them.
The hunter made two errors, a law enforcement agent told WRBL.com: First, it is illegal in Alabama to remove a deer from the state’s waters, and second, he fired into the water where the fishermen were, which could be considered reckless endangerment. The official said that the hunter's actions were "disappointing."
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The buck was crossing Lake Mitchell in Clanton, Todd Stephens, one of the fishermen, told the station.
Andrew Guy, another fisherman taking part in the competitiion, said he was glad the guys in the nearby boat were OK. He said they were all shaken up after the shots were fired.
He said the hunter came down the hill asking if the buck had run back down toward and he was was told never to come back. "He didn't even know he was breaking the law," Guy told the station.