(Newser)
– An Irish hunter died on Tuesday after being attacked by a deer he was feeding, Irish examiner reports. Gerard Withers, described as a “famous hunter”, was stabbed and trampled by a deer at the Duhallow Hunt Kennels in Liscarroll, according to Irish Independent, which notes that male deer become aggressive during the breeding season from September to December. Deer and other animals are often kept in shelters, so the fox dog becomes familiar with them and does not chase them during the hunt, according to Examiner.
Withers, a married father with three young children, was found after friends became worried about him when he never returned from feeding the animal. The 45-year-old did not answer. He received emergency medical care, but was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. “It happened out of the blue,” a friend tells him Independent. “You can’t predict that this will happen. We are all devastated. We have lost a good man and a good hunter.” (Read more stories about animal attacks.)