A local man believes there’s a problem with deer poaching on Mission Island.
Robert McCallum walks around his property on the deer-filled island looking for antlers. But when he recently spotted a dead deer, something was missing.
“It’s still fresh and they took the head off it to mount it,” McCallum said.
He then found another dead deer a block over with an arrow in it and its antlers missing.
McCallum said he sees strange trucks around the island late at night with the headlights turned off. He recently saw a man scanning the bush with a flashlight. When asked, the man told McCallum that he was looking for deer.
“What are they doing around here late at night,” McCallum said.
He’s also heard stories of other deer being found with arrows in them near the McKellar marina.
If deer are being poached close to people’s property, McCallum thinks there’s probably a bigger problem in more rural areas of the city.
“If it’s this close what’s out further out in the bush where nobody’s out to see,” he said.
McCallum said he believes the authorities need to combat the problem.
“I just wish more patrol would be out here or just even check vehicles, half-tons and stuff when they leave the island.”
The city recently passed a by-law allowing deer hunting within certain sections of the city. Mission Island is not included.
