LEON, WI -- The Waushara County Sheriff’s Office has been working with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources on the case of a dead animal found hanging in a tree on DNR land in Waushara County.
The DNR Wildlife Experts have identified the animal as a coyote. It appears the coyote was shot and was skinned. The condition of the animal made it hard to identify right away. The Sheriff’s Office and the DNR are still concerned with how the animal was displayed in public.
"It appeared that, potentially, it had been out... in the elements for a while, says DNR Conservation Warden Benjamin Mott, who saw the carcass himself.
With open season on coyotes, he's not surprised there was a kill in this rural area.
But he's upset over the way the coyote was treated.
"Displaying it for other people and the public to see," describes Mott, "because of this location, pretty much anybody coming from the north, and anybody coming from the east, is going to be able to see this animal hanging in a tree."
And others in the surrounding area are wondering the same thing.
"Why they did it the way they did it--the only thing that comes to our mind is to make a statement," says Gary Vander Perren, who lives about a mile from the scene where the coyote was found. "Well, the statement made is done the wrong way."
Vander Perren says he's relieved it wasn't a wolf, or a dog.
But he, and others, hope those responsible are getting the message.
"People would see it. It would upset people in the area," says Vander Perren, an admitted hunter himself who says there's no room for excessive cruelty. "Myself, living so close, it would upset me driving by and seeing it. What else are they doing?"
The sheriff continues to search for any leads in this case.
If anybody has information, contact the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office at 1-920-787-3321 or 1-800-242-3377. The public can also call Waushara County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-800-5219. The public can also call the DNR Hotline at 1-800-847-9367. As always you can remain anonymous.
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On Monday, Feb. 29, the Sheriff’s Office took a call of a possible animal abuse in the town of Leon.
When the deputy arrived, he found a deceased animal hanging in a tree near 28th Avenue north of Highway Q, according to a sheriff's department media release. The land belongs to the Department of Natural Resources. The animal had been placed there sometime within the previous 24 hours. At this time there has not been a determination of the cause of death, however a necropsy is being scheduled.
Sheriff Jeffrey L. Nett said investigators are still trying to determine what type of animal it is, working with the State Veterinarian Office.
"It's a fairly large animal," Nett said.
The sheriff's office is not releasing photos at this time.
In nearby Redgranite, the discovery is the talk of the town.
"I live roughly a mile away from where this happened," says Granite Inn owner Gary Vander Perren, taking a break from preparing for the dinner rush.
Vander Perren says he can understand a landowner killing an animal threatening his or her livestock, or even damaging property. But tonight he's disturbed by what he hears.
"If someone killed an animal and hung it in a tree, not in season--whether it's a hunter, or a poacher, or whatever--it's wrong," says Vander Perren.
But more puzzling, says Vander Perren, is the fact that he's getting no answers on what the animal is.
"If it was a K9, a dog of some sort, you could tell. If it was a deer, or an elk, you can tell. If it's a bear, you can tell by the skull," says Vander Perren, who adds he's a longtime hunter. "It's a large animal. Let's tell the public what it is."
If anyone saw a vehicle parked near Highway Q and 28th Avenue or on 28th Avenue Sunday or Monday, call the Waushara County Sheriff’s Office at 1- 920-787-3321 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-800-5219. Callers may remain anonymous.
