BARRIE, Ont. — A hunter who shot and killed a hiker in a central Ontario forest was found not guilty of manslaughter in a Barrie court on Thursday.

Frederick Thomas of Keswick, Ont., was exonerated by Justice Peter Howden of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

Howden said he had a reasonable doubt over whether Thomas's action was a "marked departure" from that of a reasonable hunter.

Thomas admitted to shooting Marianne Schmid, 67, of Adjala-Tosorontio Township, on Nov. 6, 2006.

Schmid was out for an afternoon walk on a Simcoe County forest trail at the time. Thomas testified that he fired at a buck deer, and later found Schmid dead on the trail.

Howden said he believed that Thomas did shoot at a deer and it's possible that Schmidt was struck by a gunshot pellet or a ricochet.