South Milwaukee Police Chief Ann Wellens provided the following update to the reports of potential poaching in Grant Park.
Here is her email verbatim …
In order to clear up some of the rumors in the community I personally spoke with Game Warden Ben Mott this morning regarding the deer complaints in Grant Park. The following is a summary of our conversation:
- SMPD/Milw County Park notified the DNR of a gut pile (in the compose pile) by the tennis court area. Officer Olson responded and had a description of a vehicle. Officer Olson contacted neighboring law enforcement agencies and determined a resident of SM had a deer (struck by a car) tagged in the City of Oak Creek. Officer Olson contacted this subject and interviewed this subject. The subject verified the deer was struck by a car in Oak Creek, was tagged by Oak Creek PD, he brought the deer to Grant Park to clean (he didn’t want the mess at his residence – and knew the animals would eat the guts), and then took the deer to the butcher in Oak Creek. Officer Olson and Investigator Hesse went to the butcher to verify the deer had a tag. Investigator Hesse examined the deer and stated the front legs were broken (consistent with being struck by a vehicle).
- SMPD notified the DNR of a deer in the park missing it’s head. The DNR was aware of this as Game Warden Mott had taken the head of the deer (buck). Game Warden Mott stated he could not be certain how this deer died but suspected it could have been shot. He said the body was very badly mauled by coyotes and he could not verify if the deer was sick, injured or shot. He stated he left the body there for the animals to eat.
- 3rd & Marquette (behind the pump house) SMPD notified the DNR of a carcass (spine and rib cage) found at this location. There is no way to determine where this deer came from (the park or someplace else). Game Warden Mott assumed this was a buck as the head was missing.
- Hawthorne Ave – SMPD notified DNR of a deer carcass laying in the ravine.
- There was a deer struck by a car on Nicholson Avenue – OCPD responded and tagged the deer. The driver of the vehicle did not want the deer. An off duty South Milwaukee Officer was there and asked if he could have the deer which the driver told him yes. This was completely legal.
Game Warden Mott stated during/after the 9 day gun season it is common to find deer carcasses in parks, on the road side, etc. as hunters tend to dispose of the carcasses in this manner. He said some hunters do not want to bring home the “remains” and put them in their garbage or they are too lazy to go to the dump. He stated it is not unusual to find carcasses not properly disposed of.
Game Warden Mott also stated he has been in the park conducting surveillance and has found citizens in the park shinning deer he has not seen any evidence of poachers. He stated he does not approach the citizens shinning because it is not illegal to shine them unless it is after 10pm. In order to check them out he would have to see some other type of violation. One individual he found shinning was a County Park worker.
Game Warden Mott has offered to meet with the Friends of Grant Park to answer their questions. I have notified Investigator Mike Hill (Crime Prevention Officer who attends these meetings) to coordinate this meeting.
A big thanks to Chief Wellens and her department for staying on top of this. I’ll keep you posted.
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