A hunter in the United States died after he was attacked by a deer he had shot which he believed to be dead.

Thomas Alexander shot a buck while hunting near Yellville, an area in the Ozark Mountains about 105 miles north of Little Rock, according to Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens.

Stephens said the buck attacked the 66-year-old when the hunter approached the animal to see if it was dead.

He said Alexander, who suffered multiple puncture wounds, died later in hospital.

Stephens said it is not clear how long Alexander waited before checking on the deer, but that the agency recommends waiting at least 30 minutes before approaching.