Authorities recommend charges in deer poaching scheme

State and local authorities say they’re recommending more than a dozen civil and criminal charges against four suspects who allegedly killed more than 100 deer across several counties in eastern Wisconsin. 

The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office said the suspects include three 16-year-old boys and one 36-year-old woman from Campbellsport. They’re facing charges of mistreating animals resulting in death, hunting during the closed season and discharging a firearm from a highway among a dozen other violations.

Mistreating animals that results in death is a felony that carries a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines or up to 3 1/2 years in prison. Hunting deer during the closed season carries a penalty of up to a $2,000 fine or up to 9 months in jail or both.

County authorities launched a joint investigation with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources after receiving a tip in July. The crimes took place within a 200-square-mile area spanning southeastern Fond du Lac, northern Washington and northeastern Dodge counties.

Investigators say the suspects drove around at night shining and shooting deer from their vehicle. Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said in a press release that most of the animals were left to rot.

“However, the heads of some bucks were removed by these suspects, particularly when the buck had large antlers. Other deer were wounded by gunshots but not killed. Many of these nighttime excursions involved shooting multiple deer in the outing,” Waldschmidt said.

Investigators say suspects also struck deer in the road. In one incident, suspects allegedly drove around with a deer that had been severely wounded, recording video and taking “selfies” with the injured deer. The animal eventually died hours later.

Authorities say the suspects also captured and harassed other animals, including geese, raccoons, possums and turtles.

Waldschmidt said the killings were senseless, reckless and indiscriminate. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office and DNR referred charges to district attorneys in Fond du Lac and Washington counties, as well as Fond du Lac County Juvenile Intake.

Authorities urged the public to report any suspected violations to the DNR’s hotline at 1-800-847-9367.