Beltrami County, MN (trfnews.i234.me) — A deadly deer hunting accident that shocked northern Minnesota is now back in court as the state’s firearm deer season begins.
Rain Stately of Redby, Minnesota, faces a felony charge of second-degree manslaughter – shooting a firearm, believing the victim was a deer or other animal. The charge stems from the 2020 death of 28-year-old Lucas R. Dudley of Bemidji during deer season near the Red Lake Nation boundary.
According to the statement of probable cause, on November 25, 2020, at about 7:16 p.m., Beltrami County deputies and investigators responded to Southern Boundary Road in Nebish Township, just south of the Red Lake Reservation.
Stately had called 911 to report that he accidentally shot another hunter. When law enforcement and Red Lake Tribal Police arrived, Stately explained that he fired a single shot from his Remington Model 700 .338 rifle, mistaking movement behind brush for a deer.
When he approached, he discovered he had fatally shot Dudley, who was dressed in brown camouflage and not wearing blaze orange at the time. Stately immediately reported the incident and was described by investigators as distraught, remorseful, and sober.
The medical examiner confirmed Dudley died instantly from a single gunshot wound. Investigators verified that both men were members of the Red Lake Nation and that the shooting occurred just outside reservation boundaries.
A hearing on the case was held on Friday, November 7th, in Beltrami County Court in Bemidji. Bail was set at $0 with conditions, and the next court date is scheduled for January 26, 2026.
If convicted, Stately faces up to 10 years in prison under Minnesota’s second-degree manslaughter statute.
For more on firearm safety regulations and blaze orange requirements, visit the Minnesota DNR hunting safety page.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
