Deer steals hunter's gun, flees into woods

Nov. 25 (UPI) -- A hunter in the Czech Republic was charged by a deer that snagged the man's gun on its antlers and fled into the woods with the weapon, police said.

Police in the South Bohemian Region said a hunter contacted authorities to recount the story of how he lost his gun while hunting near the village of Horni Plana.

The man said one of the hunting dogs in his group startled a stag in a wooded area, causing the panicked deer to run directly toward him.

The deer's antlers ripped the man's sleeve and ended up snagged on his .22 Hornet rifle, which had been slung over his left hand at the time.

The animal ran off into the woods with the hunter's unloaded gun still attached to its antlers, the man told police.

Police said another hunter reported spotting a deer with a rifle dangling from its antlers more than half a mile from the scene.

Investigators said the hunter was required to report the loss of the rifle under the Czech Republic's Firearms and Ammunition Act.