‘I’m Angry’: Glide Resident On Whitetail Buck Shot, Wasted In Oregon Town

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

A poacher shot a trophy-size white-tailed buck in the city limits of Glide, Oregon on Oct. 7, then left the animal to languish. A reward for information leading to a citation currently stands at $500 or four hunter preference points. 

The poacher fired a weapon in city limits, and likely shot from across a busy road, according to Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Senior Trooper Jason Stone. Not only was the shot itself illegal, but white-tailed deer are protected across the state, except for controlled hunts in select designated areas. The poacher broke multiple laws.

The white-tailed buck, a three-point with eye guards, died near Abbott Street and Mt Scott Lane. Residents of the small town near Roseburg reported hearing what sounded like gunshots fired around 12:30 p.m., according to Stone. Later in the day, several people saw a wounded deer in a backyard and thought it had injured itself getting caught in a fence. A resident reported the injured animal to law enforcement, but no one was available to respond at the time. Eventually the deer died.

The next day, while removing the carcass, Stone found it had wounds consistent with a small-caliber rifle. Both law enforcement and residents in the area are concerned with this turn of events.

“Mostly I’m angry,” one resident, who prefers to remain anonymous, said. “Somebody was careless, they shot and put people in danger. Everyone walks on our paths, which are near where the deer was, and there are houses there too.”

Stone thinks the deer may have been in the area because it was displaced by the Archie Creek fire.

“This year many animals are displaced by wildfires,” he said, “They are easier targets because they aren’t familiar with the area and they don’t know where to go.”

Stone said another report came in on Wednesday of shots fired about 3:00 a.m. “There could be other poached deer out there,” he said.

The Oregon Hunters Association (OHA) offers rewards through the Turn In Poachers (TIP) Line. Cindy Rooney, an OHA Southwest Director and a member of the Umpqua OHA Board, takes this crime personally. Not only did the poacher endanger the lives of citizens by being reckless with a firearm, they killed a game animal illegally. 

“Every animal that is poached is an opportunity lost for a legal hunter,” she said. “Our game populations in the State of Oregon are a precious resource that needs to be appreciated and managed for future hunters.” 

Stone agrees. “No one is more disappointed with poaching than an avid hunter,” he said.

The deer carcass was not salvageable. The antlers have been retained as evidence in the case.

The Stop Poaching Campaign educates the public on how to recognize and report poaching. This campaign is a collaboration among hunters, conservationists, land owners and recreationists. Our goal is to increase reporting of wildlife crimes through the TIP Line, increase detection by increasing the number of OSP Fish and Wildlife Troopers and increase prosecution. This campaign helps to protect and enhance Oregon’s fish and wildlife and their habitat for the enjoyment of present and future generations. Contact campaign coordinator Yvonne Shaw for more information. Yvonne.l.Shaw@state.or.us.