Headless deer found on trail

By Monique Ebrington
A HEADLESS deer carcass was left in plain sight late last week, along a popular tourist trail in Warburton.
Tourist Chris Squires was walking along the O’Shannassy Aqueduct trail with a friend last Thursday 1 October when they spotted the body of a stag.
“We were shocked and a bit horrified,” Mr Squires said.
“The whole thing of just seeing a headless body there was a bit shocking,”
While Mr Squires said the pair hadn’t any heard shots fired that day, he was concerned about the body’s proximity to the trail and the nearby residential area.
“I can’t see how they could have moved the thing, so it must have been shot there, so hunters are letting off guns in a pretty precarious area,” he said.
“They shouldn’t be shooting in built-up areas for a start and they shouldn’t be leaving the bodies just lying around.
“If you’re going to kill something take the body away, at least have the decency to take it away from a tourist area.”
Mr Squires said while he didn’t want to scare other tourists away from the area, the community needed to be aware of irresponsible hunters who could potentially harm residents and the reputation of other shooters in general.
“My mum’s a shooter. She’s 70 and she has a gun and she’s a legal shooter,” he said.
“She hasn’t done anything illegally and you don’t need people out there giving other shooters a bad name.”
Warburton Police Sergeant Paul Bell said the find, close to residential properties, comes during a blitz on rogue hunters.
Operation Taxon, run in conjunction with DSE wildlife officers, has been running annually for the past three years and is aimed squarely at rogue hunters carrying riffles in prohibited areas.
Sgt Bell says the operation runs until 29 November and hefty penalties will apply to hunters doing the wrong thing.
“Yarra Valley police have a no tolerance approach to rogue deer hunters and others committing firearm offences in the Yarra Valley,” Sgt Bell said.
“If you are caught hunting illegally in the Yarra Valley you can expect to lose your guns, lose your hunting licence and be charged.
“There is to be no hunting in the National Park — it is really simple.”
He said that police had been busy patrolling areas, conducting road blocks, searching vehicles and responding to calls of shots.
“We want to hear from the public if they hear shots fired,” he said.
“If you hear shots fired call 000.”