Ohio wildlife officials shoot and kill friendly deer. Why? Follow the money trail. They want to protect the deer which then get chased by dogs, shot with arrows and shot to death by PAYING hunters

OHIO -- Residents of a tiny village in Ohio are up in arms after they say a game warden shot and killed a tame deer in front of children who had befriended the animal.

People in Clarington - population 384 - said the deer has become known in the area for its friendly demeanor, allowing children and adults to pet it and pose for pictures with it.

But an officer with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was determined to shoot the creature citing the unpredictable nature of wild animals, especially during mating season.

 

According to Clarington Mayor Droug Wagner, the wildlife agency learned of the tame deer from a local resident who complained about the animal eating out of his garden.

The deer was first spotted in the area several months ago wearing a collar around its neck, Martins Ferry Times Leader reported. The fawn was described as being comfortable around children and adults alike. 

The wildlife officer who was put on the case spent days stalking the deer, and on Monday he arrived in Clarington with the intention to shoot the critter. But his plan was foiled by the presence of angry residents who came to the deer’s defense.

On Wednesday, Shannon Lee and her two daughters were sitting on their porch when they heard a gunshot.

Mrs Lee said it took the ODNR officer about 30 minutes to corner the deer before he was able to kill the animal within earshot of her daughter, Olivia, who took a liking to the friendly creature.

'i petted it, and i would feed it, and i would play with it some more, and it was my best friend,’ the little girl told the station WTRF.

The girl’s mother expressed anger that the officer with the state agency failed to warn her and other parents about what was to come.

‘They saw us sitting on the porch, they didn't tell us, “Can you please take the kids inside...” [there was] no warning at all until we heard the gunshot,’ Shannon Lee said.

According to Tim Parrett, district manager with the ODNR, the deer had to be put down because it was a public safety hazard.

‘Everyone understands the curiosity and the value of wildlife, with this opportunity to touch it, but people don't realize this is still a wild animal, and they're unpredictable,’ Parrett explained. ‘Especially a buck with antlers, all it has to do is flick its head and it can seriously injure a child or adult. The potential for danger is there.’

Parrett added that it would have been irresponsible not to kill the deer.

Some concerned residents have called on the wildlife agency to relocate the friendly buck, but Parrett said that if the deer was ill with chronic wasting disease - a degenerative condition affecting the brain - it could have spread it to other animals.

The manager added that the deer's friendly behavior was abnormal and a possible indicator that the animal was ill.

(Daily Mail - Aug 15, 2014)