Hunter shot dead after being mistaken for a deer by another hunter

The victim was found not to be wearing flaming orange or high visibility clothing.

A man was shot and killed while hunting by another hunter after he was allegedly mistaken for a deer.

The incident occurred on November 25 at around 7:16 p.m. when the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the FBI and Red Lake Tribal Police in northern Minnesota that a hunting death occurred. was produced on – or near – the Red Limite of the lake reserve and was under study.

During the death investigation, authorities discovered that Lucas Dudley, 28, of Bemidji, Minnesota, was believed to have been a deer hunter when he was shot by Rain Stately, 33, of Redby, Minnesota. The two did not hunt together.

“Around dusk, Stately said he observed the movement of what he thought was a deer and fired a bullet from his rifle,” Ernie Beitel of the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release published on social networks. “When he found Dudley, he immediately called 911 and cooperated with the investigation. Dudley was found not to be wearing flaming orange clothing or other highly visible clothing. “

Authorities say Dudley was taken to the Midwestern Medical Examiner for an autopsy.

Authorities have not disclosed where Dudley was hit by the bullet or how close the two men were when the incident occurred.

The incident is being investigated by the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the Law Enforcement Division of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Federal Office. investigation.

No decision has been made as to whether Stately will face charges in Dudley’s death.