‘Senseless’ Poaching Ring Allegedly Killed ‘Well Over 100 Deer’ in Wisconsin and Harassed, Abused Other Wildlife

Local authorities in northern Wisconsin have completed their investigation into a series of poaching and wildlife harassment incidents that allegedly took place from spring of 2023 through July 2024 in Fond du Lac, Dodge, and Washington Counties. They believe one group of poachers was responsible for killing “well over 100 deer” during this period, most of which were shot from a vehicle at night and left to rot. Authorities also found evidence that the suspected poachers captured and harassed deer and other wildlife. Fond du Lac County sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt characterized the string of wildlife crimes as “senseless, reckless, and indiscriminate” in a press release issued Friday. 

“After reading reports and observing video and photographic evidence obtained during this investigation, those words remain by best summation of the situation,” Waldschmidt said. “The horrific acts committed against these animals will shock the conscience of hunters and non-hunters alike.”

Officials with the FDLCSD coordinated with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to conduct the joint investigation, which began in July when a member of the public tipped off the DNR. Additional tips from the public aided officials in their investigation.  

Investigators identified four primary suspects from Campbellsport — an adult female, 36, and three juvenile males, all aged 16 — whose identities have not been released to the public. FDLCSD Lieutenant Alex Volm tells Outdoor Life in an emailed statement that their investigation is considered closed, pending new information. Volm said the adult female was not in custody. He was unable to disclose the custody status of the three juvenile males.

According to the press release from the FDLCSD, the crimes occurred within a 200-square-mile area between Cambellsport, Waucousta, Lomira, Theresa, West Bend, and Kewaskum. The poachers allegedly drove around this area at night, spotlighting deer and shooting them from a vehicle. Other times they would intentionally run over deer with their vehicle. They left does and small bucks to rot and removed the heads from some of the larger bucks.

The press release mentions multiple incidents where the suspects allegedly captured and harassed live deer. Investigators also found evidence that they harassed geese, raccoons, possums, turtles, and other wildlife.  

“In one incident, the deer survived being struck by their vehicle but was severely wounded from the impact,” Waldschmidt explains in the press release. “The juvenile suspects picked the deer up and placed it in the trunk of their vehicle while recording video and taking ‘selfies’ of and with the deer … One of the videos showed the suspects holding the deer, still alive but clearly suffering, while walking around the inside of their home. The deer eventually died while in their captivity hours after being struck with the vehicle.”

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The FDLSD included a list of alleged criminal and civil violations that came out of the joint investigation. The sheriff’s office specified, however, that this list is not all-inclusive, and that any citations or criminal charges related to wildlife violations are being handled by the DNR. Alleged violations include:

• Depositing or discharging solid waste on public or private property
• Discharging a firearm from or across a highway or within 50 feet of the center of a roadway
• Hunting deer with artificial light
• Hunting during the closed season
• Hunting with weapon/ammunition of inherent design, or used in a manner, not reasonably capable of reducing target to possession (i.e. shooting an animal without the expectation of successfully harvesting the animal)
• Hunting within 50 feet of a road’s center
• Loading or discharging a firearm in or from a motorized vehicle
• Mistreating animals resulting in death
• Obstructing a conservation warden
• Possession of a dangerous weapon
• Possession of a firearm while shining
• Possession of deer during the closed season
• Possession of game killed by unlawful or unknown means
• Transporting a loaded firearm in or on a moving vehicle
• Unauthorized taking of live wild animals from the wild

Charges have been referred to the district attorney’s offices in both Fond du Lac County and Washington County, as well as the Fond du Lac County Juvenile Intake. The Fond du Lac County District Attorney Office did not immediately reply to OL’s request for further information, and the Washington County District Attorney’s Office had no further information to provide.