@Mrs.peacock said:

Does anyone know the law, if you kill someone in self defense in the woods? Bring the body with you, leave it and tell the authorities in town?

Jon Voight did suggest that. But Burt Reynolds shot that down. He said that whole town was probably related to each other. No way would they believe outsiders killed one of their own in self defense. Not only that but I'm sure poor Ned Beatty would never want that to go to trial. I can hear the prosecutor. "So tell me in your own words how you say you were on your way to Aintree, you pulled your boat over and this mountain man made you squeal like a pig?"

I got that from the line good ole boy and his family setting them up for court. I guess the sheriff hoped they wouldn't make a deal of it and closed the investigation.

Some trivia for you, Mrs.peacock--

The sheriff at the end who told the Atlanta guys to leave his town and never come back, was played by the real-life author (James Dickey) of the book the movie is based on; also, the silent deputy in Burt Reynolds' hospital room was a young Ed O'Neill, in his first film appearance.

Everyone talks about the "squeal like a pig" sequence in this film, but there are many memorable scenes throughout the movie (for me, one of the most surreal is when Voight's character and the others are slowly driving behind the church that is being moved).

I didn't know that thanks for the share. I like that scene and when they have dinner afterwards with the old woman making a joke.

Yeah, that is sort of a tough dilemma to be in.