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An eight-point buck turned up dead in a D.C. backyard. It had been shot. An eight-point buck turned up dead in a D.C. backyard. It had been shot.
(32 minutes later)
From a distance, it looked like it was sleeping.From a distance, it looked like it was sleeping.
The eight-point buck lay in the far corner of a backyard in Northeast Washington, its head lolled up against a chain-link fence, unmoving.The eight-point buck lay in the far corner of a backyard in Northeast Washington, its head lolled up against a chain-link fence, unmoving.
A perfectly round gunshot wound hid beneath the deer’s matted golden fur, streaked red with blood.A perfectly round gunshot wound hid beneath the deer’s matted golden fur, streaked red with blood.
“It looked like somebody shot Rudolph,” said Richard Crespo, a Michigan Park resident who lives in the house where the buck came to die. “I’m from Brooklyn, so, I’d never seen anything like this.” “It looked like somebody shot Rudolph,” said Richard Crespo, who lives in the Michigan Park house where the buck came to die.
As the carcass was hauled away by city officials Saturday, the case of the downed deer remained a mystery.As the carcass was hauled away by city officials Saturday, the case of the downed deer remained a mystery.
Police could not say how the animal got there, or who might have killed it.Police could not say how the animal got there, or who might have killed it.
National Park Service officials could only say that it was not part of any official efforts to thin the District’s deer population. National Park Service officials could only say that it was not part of any official effort to thin the District’s deer population.
Deer hunting — and all hunting — is illegal in the District. Though areas in Maryland and Virginia allow hunters to bag bucks during hunting season, many areas nearest to the District require that they use bows instead of guns. Deer hunting — and all hunting — is illegal in the District. Though parts of Maryland and Virginia allow hunters to bag bucks during hunting season, many areas near the District require that they use bows instead of guns.
Chuck Thies, self-described Michigan Park busybody and longtime D.C. political strategist, went to inspect the animal about 9 p.m. Friday, shortly after Crespo found it laying in the yard. Chuck Thies, a self-described Michigan Park busybody and longtime D.C. political strategist, went to inspect the animal about 9 p.m. Friday, shortly after Crespo found it laying in the yard.
When a dead deer turns up in the neighborhood — a community that bumps up against the D.C.-Maryland line — it is normally the casualty of a car crash, Thies said, not a shooting. When a dead deer turns up in the neighborhood, which bumps up against the D.C.-Maryland line, it is normally the casualty of a car crash, Thies said, not a shooting.
“I assumed at first that it got hit by a car, but when I took a closer look at it, I realized there was no way,” he said.“I assumed at first that it got hit by a car, but when I took a closer look at it, I realized there was no way,” he said.
The buck’s body was intact. No broken bones or mangled flesh. A hole on either side of the animal revealed where a bullet had entered and exited. The buck’s body was intact — no broken bones or mangled flesh. A hole on either side of the animal revealed where a bullet had entered and exited.
“There’s no hunting around here, anywhere,” said Thies. “But we do hear a good amount of gunfire.” “There’s no hunting around here, anywhere,” Thies said. “But we do hear a good amount of gunfire.”
The owls of D.C. are on the attack. Experts say it comes with the territory.The owls of D.C. are on the attack. Experts say it comes with the territory.
D.C. Police said they had no record of gunshots reported in the area Friday. D.C. police said they had no record of gunshots reported in the area Friday.
The Department of Public Works, whose animal disposal team picked up the carcass Saturday afternoon, declined to comment further.The Department of Public Works, whose animal disposal team picked up the carcass Saturday afternoon, declined to comment further.
Thies has a theory: Sometimes, he said, people will take guns out into the woods near St. Anselm’s Abbey and fire off a few rounds.Thies has a theory: Sometimes, he said, people will take guns out into the woods near St. Anselm’s Abbey and fire off a few rounds.
White-tailed deer are everywhere around there, Thies said, especially at dusk.White-tailed deer are everywhere around there, Thies said, especially at dusk.
“My guess is maybe around sunset there were some guys in the woods who saw the deer and shot at it,” Thies said. “And then the deer ran out here, bleeding.”“My guess is maybe around sunset there were some guys in the woods who saw the deer and shot at it,” Thies said. “And then the deer ran out here, bleeding.”
D.C. has struggled for years to curb a swollen deer population, especially in and around Rock Creek Park.D.C. has struggled for years to curb a swollen deer population, especially in and around Rock Creek Park.
The deer, who feast on vegetation and young tree seedlings in the District’s 2,800-acre forest, numbered about 77 per square mile at the population's height in 2013. Since then, the Park Service has routinely sent sharpshooters into the park at night to hunt the animals — a tactic agency biologists say is needed to protect the park’s vegetation despite objections form animal-rights groups. The deer, who feast on vegetation and young tree seedlings in the District’s 1,754-acre forest, numbered about 77 per square mile at the population’s height in 2013. Since then, the Park Service has routinely sent sharpshooters into the park at night to hunt the animals — a tactic agency biologists say is needed to protect the park’s vegetation despite objections from animal rights groups.
Deer shoot at Rock Creek Park spurs more protestsDeer shoot at Rock Creek Park spurs more protests
This year, the NPS officials will run population-control hunts in the park through March 31, but spokesperson Katie Liming said Saturday that the agency had not conducted an operation for more than a month. This year, NPS officials will run population-control hunts in the park through March 31, but spokesperson Katie Liming said Saturday that the agency had not conducted an operation for more than a month.
Regardless, she added, it is unlikely a mortally wounded deer ran from Rock Creek Park into Crespo’s backyard, more than three miles away.Regardless, she added, it is unlikely a mortally wounded deer ran from Rock Creek Park into Crespo’s backyard, more than three miles away.
It is a mystery as to where and by whom this deer was shot; there is no legal hunting within miles of where it lays dead. That said, he has beautiful antlers and they should not end up in the dump. @DCDPW will collect the carcass soon. pic.twitter.com/FEwSvSpnMjIt is a mystery as to where and by whom this deer was shot; there is no legal hunting within miles of where it lays dead. That said, he has beautiful antlers and they should not end up in the dump. @DCDPW will collect the carcass soon. pic.twitter.com/FEwSvSpnMj
“It’s sad, you know?” Thies said. “I know they eat people’s vegetable gardens and they can be a bit of a nuisance, but this is a beautiful, beautiful animal.” “It’s sad, you know?” Thies said. “I know they eat people’s vegetable gardens, and they can be a bit of a nuisance, but this is a beautiful, beautiful animal.”
Thies, who grew up hunting with his father in New Jersey, posted several images of the animal on Twitter early Saturday, including one video in which he removes the buck’s antlers with an electric saw.Thies, who grew up hunting with his father in New Jersey, posted several images of the animal on Twitter early Saturday, including one video in which he removes the buck’s antlers with an electric saw.
“I just figured DPW is just going to take it and throw it in the trash heap or incinerate it or something, and there’s no need for these beautiful antlers to go to waste,” he said. “I doubt my wife will let me hang these on the mantle, but I’ll put them in the garage or make something out of them — they’re gorgeous — so, maybe something beautiful can come of a sad situation.”“I just figured DPW is just going to take it and throw it in the trash heap or incinerate it or something, and there’s no need for these beautiful antlers to go to waste,” he said. “I doubt my wife will let me hang these on the mantle, but I’ll put them in the garage or make something out of them — they’re gorgeous — so, maybe something beautiful can come of a sad situation.”
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