Road hunter at that. Neighbor reported a dead doe in one of our orchards last weekend. Thursday night somebody popped off a shotgun well after dark on the road that borders our western fence. They drove by really slow on Friday and again early Saturday morning, looking for the deer. How they couldn't spot it is beyond me... 50 feet off the road, in the open. County tree contractor has been clearing the shoulders of the road (not sure why, power lines are across the street). Easy shooting lanes. Very obvious deer trail.  

Coyotes had a good feed before Doug and I took the backhoe out there and buried the deer.

What a waste. Both of the deer and the so called hunter who shot her. There has been NO big game hunting allowed on this property since 1958. The deer are tame. So tame that they like Max the mini horse's cookies (apple, carrot and molasses).  First deer we'd seen in months, has been a surge in the local coyote population.

I hunt. I follow the regs. And don't take an animal if I don't need the meat (or don't know anybody that does). So far as i know, road hunting is illegal in all of North America.

Needless to say, we're now armed at all times around the orchards and wheat/soy field. Somebody low enough to jack light around houses is just as likely to cut the fence...

rumor has it the PA game comission has a fake buck with motorized ears/tail motion.  they set it up, hide and catch a bunch of slob hunters jumping out of their trucks to shoot.  

WD, give the game warden a call. The wardens around here have a way of knowing who did it after having a few words around town. Our forestry hut was ransacked one night years ago when I worked for the Ms Forestry Commission. Two deputies were talking after seeing just one footprint from a tennis shoe. "Looks like the Turner kid." "I'd say so", said his buddy. It was the Turner kid. Our old boys may be country, but they got lots of sense and a good amount of Crime Schooling. Once they know your situation, they'll keep a watch on the place.