NEAR BUCKHORN, Mo. – The Pulaski County Sheriff’s office reported Tuesday that a freak accident claimed the life of a deer hunter. A man now identified as Curtis S. Powelson, 31, was bow hunting and called to tell his wife that he had shot a deer around dusk on Monday evening. He told her that he was going back to the woods to track the animal but never returned home according to a release.
After his wife reported him missing, the sheriff’s office conducted a search until a short time after 3 a.m. when they discovered Powelson’s body at the bottom of a large sinkhole. The sinkhole was estimated to be 65-70 feet deep.
The property owner said that the sinkhole may have recently opened due to heavy rains in the last month. Authorities believe that darkness and tall foliage concealed it from Powelson’s view before he fell into it.
Pulaski County Assistant Coroner Michael McCart ruled that the death was accidental. Powelson was a Marine stationed at the Marine Corps Detachment at Fort Leonard Wood.
A hunter fell into this sinkhole near Buckhorn, Mo. and was declared dead on Tuesday, September 17, 2013 (Courtesy: Pulaski County Assistant Coroner Michael McCart) 
A rescuer repels to recover body of dead bow hunter (Courtesy: Pulaski County Assistant Coroner Michael McCart) 
The sinkhole that the rescuer repelled into was estimated to be 65-70 feet deep (Courtesy: Pulaski County Assistant Coroner Michael McCart)
