Three men caught shining deer in southern Wisconsin.
The Rock County men — Joshua Beyer, 23, of Janesville; Christopher Kummer, 22, of Milton; and Chris Taylor, 20, of Evansville — are convicted of illegally shining and shooting deer just west of Janesville. Their penalties range from a $2,000 fine to a $15,000 fine; one will lose his hunting licenses for six years and two of them for 21 years; one man will serve 30 days in jail, another will serve a year behind bars.
A Rock County sheriff’s deputy is credited for spotting the scofflaws who were shining into a field in December of last year. The deputy then conducted a traffic stop and was able to determine the men were shining wild animals while in possession of firearms.
Poaching steals opportunity from law abiding hunters who practice safe, ethical, and legal hunting as well as to the wildlife enthusiasts. Rock County officials say a deputy was in the right place at the right time, but that’s not always the case. Officials encourage the public to report suspicious activity.
To confidentially report possible wildlife, recreational and environmental violations, please contact the DNR’s Violator Hotline at: 1-800-TIP-WDNR or 1-800-847-9367. Anyone who provides information may remain anonymous.