A Wisconsin cyclist came across a deer seemingly undisturbed by the crossbow arrow stuck through its head.
Collin Buth, a cyclist living in Wisconsin, sent word and video of a deer he saw in Whitnall Park in Milwaukee County to CBS 58. Normally, a female deer in a suburban park in the early spring wouldn't make the news.
This one, however, is an exception thanks to the crossbow arrow which entered the back of its head and protruded through the front of its face between the eye and nose.
The unfortunate circumstances seem to likely be a case of illegal hunting activity.
The rest of the details are shared in this CBS 58 news report.
"My daughter and I ride mountain bikes a lot at the Alpha Trail and I stopped to take a video to send to her. That's when I noticed the deer actually had an arrow in its head. I just now recently looked at photos and saw it was coming out the front also," said Buth.
"I've never seen anything like that in Whitnall Park. It's unfortunate because it's such a nice area for nature watching. It seems like there is an illegal poaching problem in Milwaukee County parks," continued Buth.
The nearby Wehr Nature Center was familiar with the situation because of several people spotting the doe and letting the Center know. But they are unable to actively field-treat animals and cannot capture the deer to bring it to its facility for treatment.
"We've last gotten reports of this deer being sighted in mid-February. We always report to the DNR conservation warden first," said Carly Hintz, Director, Wehr Nature Center.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has been made aware, and are "monitoring the situation." They've confirmed that they've received reports of illegal hunting activity in Whitnall Park.
In recent years, similar cases around the country have led to the deer being tranquilized, the arrow being removed, and the deer managing to recover. Whether or not that fate is in store for this deer remains to be seen.
READ MORE: 10 MAJOR POACHING CASES THAT OUTRAGED HUNTERS EVERYWHERE
