This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

HENDRICKS COUNTY, Ind. – Some local turkey hunters had a “once in a lifetime encounter” with two friendly deer in Hendricks County over the weekend.

Leon Champine, an Indianapolis estimator, says he was hunting with his friends, Joe Pople and Corey Cook, when they first bumped into the deer at dawn. He says they stuck around for about ten minutes before walking away. The hunters then walked away and had a good laugh.

Hours later and miles deeper into the woods, Champine says the two young deer showed back up as they were calling a boisterous tom turkey.

Champine believes the deer were both around one year old. He attributes their friendliness to several things.

“I believe this is their first season without following mom around to teach them what is dangerous,” explained Champine. “I also believe that they were just simply inquisitive.”

Champine says he and his friends have a combined 50+ years of hunting experience and nothing like this has ever happened to them.

“It was truly a once in a lifetime encounter that I am incredibly fortunate enough to have captured on my phone,” said Champine.

Cook also captured a video of one of the deer actually licking his shotgun barrel.

The hunters say their trip was successful. They were able to harvest the turkey that can be heard in the background of the video.