BAKSAN, Russia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The bodies of eight hunters were found in a forest in Russia's North Caucasus, an official said Saturday.

A spokesman for a Kabardino-Balkaria republic investigative committee said it wasn't known who killed the hunters, who were from the republic and Stavropol territory, RIA Novosti reported.


"Eight bodies with gunshot wounds were uncovered in a trench shelter near the city of Baksan," the spokesman said.

The Russian news agency said it was the second such slaughter of hunters in the republic. Authorities said the last time was in November when nine hunters were killed after coming across a militant group.

Several of the group were later killed in a special operation.