Deer charges at hunter and rips his face as he tries to kill it during shooting trip: 'He needed 50 stitches'
A hunter was attacked by a deer he was stalking after it charged at him while trying to escape, resulting in a whopping 50 stitches to his face.
Thirty six-year-old Vincent Saubion was on a hunting expedition in Lesperon, France when a deer fleeing from his crosshairs ran into him. The injuries were so critical that he had to be airlifted to hospital for immediate surgery, the Daily Star reports.
According to the report, the frightened 330lb beast tore a big chunk of skin along Saubion's cheek, barely missing his eye, and across his nose. Speaking to local media, the Basque native recalled how he felt "drunk" after the impact.
"It actually took half my face off," he said.
But Saubion said he wanted to continue hunting with his pals despite the horrific wound to his face and significant blood loss. However, a concerned fellow hunter advised him to stop. Saubion was lucky to have a firefighter as part of his hunting party, considering he was able to give him first aid at the scene.
Nevertheless, his grave injuries meant he would have to be airlifted to the Pellegrin Hospital in Bordeaux for emergency surgery. And according to local media reports, the hunter had to get close to 50 stitches.
Saubion told reporters he was grateful the injury was not worse than it was, considering no bones in his face were broken. He said his biggest concern was feeling afraid. "I feel as good as I can be," the chipper hunter told local reporters shortly after.
What's more? Saubion has vowed to return to the forest to hunt again despite his close encounter and shocking injury. "I am still crazy about hunting," he said. "I have nothing but respect for the game and the owners who let us hunt on their grounds," the avid hunter added.
That said, it is unknown if the deer that injured Saubion in the January incident survived.