A man in Arkansas died after he was attacked by a buck he shot while hunting , wildlife officials said Thursday.

Thomas Alexander, 66, shot the animal with a muzzle loader near Yellville, Arkansas, in the Ozark Mountains Tuesday evening and got out of his deer stand to check on it, Keith Stephens, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, told USA TODAY.

"Evidently, it got up and attacked him and he was gored several times," Stephens said.

Alexander was able to contact his wife, who then called emergency services, Stephens said. Emergency personnel requested an air evacuation, but the hunter stopped breathing and had to be taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

It is unclear whether the man died of injuries sustained during the attack or from another medical condition, Stephens said, but no autopsy was expected to be performed. Wildlife officers have not yet found the deer that injured Alexander, but Stephens said they will continue to search the woods with dogs through the day.

Stephens said the accident is not an isolated incident. In 2016, another hunter was gored by a buck in Ashley County in southern Arkansas.

Wildlife officials recommend hunters wait at least 30 minutes before approaching an animal. Hunters should check for signs of breathing, approach cautiously from behind and avoid the hooves, which are particularly dangerous, Stephens said.

"They’re extremely dangerous if you get them in a situation like that," he said. "They’re wired to survive and they’re going to try to defend themselves if they can."

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