Search on for poachers who killed 2 deer in Kansas

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    SHAWNEE, KS (KCTV/KSMO) — Poachers left behind a grisly display of waste and cruelty in Johnson County. Kansas Wildlife officials say they killed then abandoned two animals.

At the end of Bell Road just north of Johnson Drive, it was back in the woods a hiker found two bucks shot dead.

“It was on land where no one has permission to hunt,” Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Lieutenant Glenn Cannizzaro said.

Lieutenant Cannizzaro says the hiker called a local warden out to the property to inspect.

“When these poachers go out and take wildlife, they harm the lawful citizens who go out and harvest wildlife in the state,” Lieutenant Cannizzaro said.

It’s bow season in Kansas and whoever killed the deer used arrows, but then they left the meat to spoil and didn’t even take the antlers. By the time Officer Wonderlich got out there, the meat wasn’t going to be salvageable anymore.

A home surveillance camera caught a black pickup driving back and forth several times. The game warden also found a sweatshirt and a medallion.

“We think they got scared off,” Lieutenant Cannizzaro said.

The poachers committed two crimes. For one thing they didn’t have permission to hunt here, for another, it’s illegal to kill and abandon an animal like that.

“Most people are doing this right, following the rules, but then we have these poachers that commit violations and it gives hunters a black eye,” Lieutenant Cannizzaro said.

One or both the bucks may even qualify as a trophy animal in Kansas because of the size of their racks. If that’s the case, the poachers could face a minimum of $5,000 in fines.

“If you see something, tell your warden. They’re out there stealing your resource, your wildlife,” Lieutenant Cannizzaro said.

On a broader scale, the state considers hunting a way to conserve populations.

“If these poachers keep shooting bucks, it’s going to deplete the gene pool and make it hard to recover,” Lieutenant Cannizzaro said.

Killing animals like this could harm local ecosystems for generations to come.

If you have information, there are several ways to report it. Call Operation Game Thief at 1-877-426-3843.

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