New York Letters to the Editor: Thanks Region 8 Fisheries for Eelpot Creek habitat work
New York Letters to the Editor
April 27, 2026
Suspects cited in huge southeast Wisconsin deer poaching case
Fond du Lac, Wis. — Four suspects have been cited in a long-running southeastern Wisconsin deer poaching case covering almost 200 square miles in Fond du Lac, Washington, and Dodge counties and around the towns of Campbellsport, Waucousta, Lomira, Theresa, West Bend, and Kewaskum.
According to a news release from the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department, a 36-year-old woman and three 16-year-old males, all from Campbellsport, are the main suspects in the case. Criminal complaints had not yet been filed as of Oct. 22 against the adult female, according to law enforcement officials. The three teens were scheduled for an initial appearance on Oct. 23 in Fond du Lac County.
If a trial is required for the adult female, it will take place in Washington County. Trials for the juveniles, should the charges lead to trials, will take place in Fond du Lac County. It is customary for juvenile court cases to be held in the county in which the juveniles reside, regardless of where the alleged crimes took place. The names of the 16-year-olds will not be released unless they are waived to adult court. The name of the adult female will be released if charges are eventually filed – most likely in Washington County.
More than 100 deer are believed to have been killed by the suspects from spring 2023 to July this year. Alleged criminal and civil violations of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife codes include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Mistreating animals resulting in death;
• Possession of a dangerous weapon;
• Hunting (shooting) deer with the aid of artificial light;
• Hunting during closed season;
• Possession of a firearm while shining deer;
• Possession of deer during the closed season;
• Loading, discharging a firearm in or from a motorized vehicle;
• Discharging a firearm from or across a highway or within 50 feet of the center of a roadway;
• Hunting within 50 feet of a roadway’s center;
• Transporting a loaded firearm in or on a moving vehicle;
• Possession of game killed by unlawful or unknown means;
• Hunting with weapon/ammunition of inherent design, or used in a manner, not reasonably capable of reducing target to possession (i.e. shooting an animal without the expectation of successfully harvesting the animal);
• Unauthorized taking of live wild animals from the wild;
• Depositing or discharging solid waste on public or private property;
• And obstructing a DNR conservation warden.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt is one of three sheriffs whose departments worked the case. County officers and local DNR game wardens logged hundreds of combined hours investigating the case.
Most of the poaching occurred after dark and continued into the early morning hours. The suspects allegedly drove around with a spotlight while shining fields at night to locate deer. Once located, the suspects allegedly fired at the deer with rifles from the roads while still in their vehicle, according to a sheriff’s department news release.
If a deer was hit the suspects allegedly entered the field to identify the sex of the deer. Antlerless deer were left to rot. If the deer was a buck with large antlers, the heads were removed, and the rest of the carcass was left to rot.
Law enforcement officers determined the suspects also drove around with the intent of striking deer standing in the roadway with their vehicle. In one incident, the deer that struck was severely injured, but did not die from the impact. The juvenile suspects allegedly stuffed that injured deer in the trunk of the vehicle while recording a video of the event.
The suspects then allegedly drove around for hours with the injured deer in the vehicle while recording more videos. One video showed the suspects holding the deer in their home while the deer suffered. The deer eventually died in their captivity.
Information gathered during the investigation indicates that in spring 2024, the suspects located a newborn fawn. The fawn was allegedly taken from the wild, placed in their vehicle and driven around before taking the fawn into their residence. It was later released into the wild.
The suspects did not limit their criminal activity to deer. They allegedly also targeted geese, raccoons, opossums, and turtles. Those animals were often captured, held in captivity and harassed prior to being released.
“I want to thank the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources personnel for their diligent and collaborative efforts throughout this investigation,” Waldschmidt said. “Their expertise was valuable in determining the facts and identifying violations of law.”
DNR officials have not allowed field wardens involved in the case to comment on the record to media representatives during the investigation. That policy continued following the citing of the four suspects. DNR game wardens are the primary investigators of any fish and wildlife violations.
Waldschmidt is a deer hunter. He took on this case with a personal and professional interest. He described the poaching activity as senseless, reckless, and indiscriminate.
“Wildlife and hunting are a deep part of Wisconsin’s heritage and history,” he said. “The horrific acts committed against these animals will shock the conscience of hunters and non-hunters alike.”
Waldschmidt also thanked the citizens who came forward with information that helped in the investigation.
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35 thoughts on “Suspects cited in huge southeast Wisconsin deer poaching case”
That should be in jail and lose there hunting and fishing privileges for life
Thank you for catching and ending this for the HERD and animals in that area. They need to be prosecuted to the FULL extent of the law and severely punished! AS a hunter, I find this very disrespectful and totally uncalled for…the animals deserve it!!!
Try the 16 year olds as adults. Lock them up and charge them with felonies. I also think land owners that were affected should be able to file civil suits against them.
Why does it take over a year to stop the crimes. Spring of 2023 to July of 24.
Investigations take time. The dots must be connected properly or else the alleged can have any potential charges dropped on sloppy police work or technicality.
They all need to be punished to the fullest. NO PLEA DEALS!
No hunting privileges for life and no ownership of any hunting implement for life.
Torturing deer and filming it at 16? Lock them up for a life sentence. Otherwise we will be reading about these idiots years down the road when they switch to peoples pets and then to humans.
You absolutely nailed it, first signs of a serial killer right there.
Do not slap them on the hand be real here if someone else did even half of this they would be prosecuted with big fines and penalties juvenile’s or not there are sroing consequences to be dealt with look in the mirror and don’t turn back it’s to to know right from wrong fines and community work .
I agree with all of the above but I would also say they should never under any circumstance be able to lawfully possess a firearm for the rest of their lives!!! These guys are totally sick.
Sounds like DNR game wardens could have been proactive and saved a very large number of killings a long time ago. I think the public deserves an explanation why they needed to let them add up to over 100.
Dookcus, unfortunately you have to catch them in the act. Which means either a warden or deputy has to be in the area. Here in Bayfield County we are down to 1 warden!! Tons of back roads and trails for the poachers to run. That’s where the citizens have to be vigilant and report anything you think suspicious.
Beautiful county you have there. Nick is a good game warden. Heard there’s help on the way…
Who’s residence did they take the animals to? Surely the 16 year olds’ parents knew this was going on.
I am shocked and horrified by the acts of these individuals. As an outdoorsman, I am extremely disappointed by anyone who would violate our natural resources in such a manner. We, as the hunting public, cannot tolerate behavior such as this. Please, everyone, get to know your local conservation officer. These men and women are protecting your wildlife.
These individuals are psychologically disturbed and will likely someday commit murder. Intensive legal and medical intervention is required.
This is a case that should have never gone as long as it did. Where were the surrounding residents or the owners of the land on which the deer were shot and left to rot. Other than that all four of the individuals, the woman and the three teenagers, should receive the maximum penalty(ies) of the law and lose their privileges to hunt or fish again in the state of Wisconsin as well as their privilege to own/possess a handgun, rifle, rifle or archery equipment of ANY kind for life. I, personally, have NO sympathy for the violators whatsoever. They deserve to be charged to the FULLEST extent of the law!!!
I agree with Brenda on this. At 16 years old where were the parents? Money for vehicle, gas, ammo and the fact that where all the wildlife housed? If this were to be proven true what else should be done? Make it hurt.
They need to charge all as adults on the 16 y/o.
Found guilty, also need to be seen by Dr’s to see if they ever could be allowed into society again, this seems by some of there actions one of a depraved mind! Why only heads and what for, torturing wounded animals, removing young deer from one area were the mother is to be released in an entirely different location. The female perpetrator also, why she running around with minors. She needs the charges of the law involving minors!
Future serial killers.
Both Michael and Albert Sidney Smith are 100% spot on! These disgusting individuals are mentally deranged!
This was not teenage fun! The 3 teens need to be tried as adults-they knew what they were doing-I hope the woman is not one of their Mother’s-they all need very long prison sentences and all hunting/fishing rights taken away for life-I think they need some psychological intervention as well-Very sad situation-
As a hunter, I find these depraved acts towards wildlife both horrifying and sad. The wanton torture and killing of hundreds of deer and other animals are signs of a sick and twisted mentality. The actions of these young men are indicative of the need for intense psychological help along with severe punishment. The adult woman should be severely punished and remanded to jail if not prison for a long time. Where is their father? Removing these psychopaths from society will not only protect wildlife but it is conceivable their incarceration would prevent potential violence directed towards humans as their madness inevitably worsens. A strict sentence would ensure others get the message. Civility and sportsmanship are seriously lacking this country.
As with any crime until you hold people accountable for their actions this will continue. I agree with charging everyone of them as adults. People who mistreat any animal will also mistreat other people and go on to more serious crimes against people.
These are the kind of actions that cause folks to dislike hunters. Whether these individuals are hunters doesn’t matter. Anti-hunters will roll us all into this group. I hope that all lose their hunting and fishing rights for life, face fines that will impact them for a long time, and serve some jail time.
Words don’t even describe what I feel should happen here. This is sick, none of them should see the light of day again. Plus bringing politics into this is about the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard, I think 1 year per offense would be suffice. That would keep them out of society’s hair and stop further stupidity from them.
A great big THANK YOU to those involved with the investigation. We need more more support for the Game Wardens and DNR so more positions are available for covering this great state. Too many times I hear of too few officers and too much acerage to be reasonably covered.
Don’t allow them to plead “mental health”. They knew exactly what they were doing. Use them as an example to others with punishment that puts them in treatment for a long time. Lose their hunting privileges for life.
Even though I am in NY, They should be punished with fines, heavy fines, jail time and revoke all hunting licenses and firearms permits for life. Hammer them hard it might send a message.
I am in Michigan. I am a Hunter Education Instructor. I worked with Michigan Legislature and a retired MIDNR CO to substantially increase fines on poachers. The fine used to be $1000. Now an antlered buck is $ 1000. plus an additional $ 1000. just for having antlers, plus depending upon points $ 500. per point. A 10 point or larger $ 750. per point. It hasn’t stopped poaching but it has put some teeth into our law. These folks need to be punished with the strongest possible penalty available, they are stealing a valuable resource that belongs to the State and robbing the legal hunters a chance to harvest these quality animals to feed their families and even donate them to food pantries to feed the less fortunate, instead of that food source going to waste laying in the fields rotting away because these clowns were getting their jollies breaking the law.
I’m not sure of the number but the DNR is short around 80 wardens because of budget cuts . These wardens are spread pretty thin , they’re doing the best they can under the circumstances . What took the sheriff’s department so long to put together a case ?
Good thing they werent doing this in louisiana . we never would have heard of this story. After 54 years of hunting we all no there is one game warden per every 24 counties somtimes more this is insane we need more game wardens , I watch all the poaching and signs of poaching in Kansas where every deer is shot from the truck window and eastern colorado where the hunting guides promote not fallowing any rules Expecially tresspassing and spot lighting with night vision , Make the penalties alot stiffer . Thank you Game wardens
The DNR is vasrtly under staffed. Frozen assets and too few field staff make this sort of thing more possible. Remember tomorrow which party is in control of the state budget and undercuts the governor at every turn. They have been starving the DNR enforcement divisions and taking away their authority since 2010. Yet the hunting community continually votes to reelect them.
A sociopath is someone with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), a chronic mental health condition that involves a disregard for the rights and feelings of others. Sociopaths may:
Lack empathy and remorse ,
Manipulate or treat others harshly,
Behave impulsively or aggressively,
Break rules or laws,
Have difficulty maintaining emotional attachments,
Rationalize wrong behavior,
Give in to fits and tantrums.
This definition is verbatim. America is unfortunately too “civilized” to deal with these highly disturbed individuals correctly. Most likely nothing will truly happen. Obviously these kids enjoy killing and torturing helpless animals. Hopefully we’re not reading about them shooting up a school next year. Shame on us if this isn’t handled swiftly and severely.