That is a very important point and one that many who are condemning this hunter fail to consider. I do not know the exact heigth of a deers vital zone above the ground, but for the sake of discussion lets say it ranges from 36" to 48 ". Therefore, the bullet form every normal hunting rifle , that was fired on level ground would contact the ground within 600 yds or less. The hunter in question fired into an orchard ,and the house and car were not visible from where the hunter was located, He ws firing up hill from a valley into the orchard. Based on the facts ,as reported in the papers, the hunter in question had no way of knowing that the bullet he fired would travel 0.5 miles. Furthermore ,the DA said the hunter did not act with criminal intent or gross negligence , whcih means it was an accident that could happen to any rile huter under similar circumstances.