Multiple deer killed with crossbow in Northwest Austin, man wanted
AUSTIN, Texas - For those who use the dog park at Great Hills apartments in Northwest Austin, it’s not uncommon to see a random herd of deer dash by. Eder and Hallie Dominguez told FOX 7 their dog Kona certainly takes notice.
"Anything with movement, anything she hears, she perks up," said Eder.
What surprises them and other residents in the Great Hills neighborhood is that someone is killing deer.
Even more surprising, investigators say the weapon used is a crossbow.
"I can’t imagine why somebody would want to do that, though," said Hallie.
Texas Parks and Wildlife released images of some of the 6 deer that have been shot. Four have died. Arrows, known as bolts, found in the deer, as well as statements from residents about seeing injured animals, have provided investigators a timeline. It’s believed the shootings started in mid-December, but there’s a possibility more deer were killed earlier in 2021.
It remains unclear if these shootings are the result of frustration with what some consider to be a nuisance animal or if it is being done out of cruelty. A reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction. A GoFundMe page has also been set up to supplement that reward. When caught, the person responsible can face serious charges.
"Well, there's quite a few violations. The biggest one is killing white-tailed deer without landowner permission, and in the state of Texas, that's a felony," said Texas Game Warden Capt. Scott Jurk.
"We also have, we believe, that most likely they're harvesting these animals or killing these animals between midnight and probably early morning hours, 3 or 4 a.m., which means they're hunting at night, probably from a vehicle. And off a public road or in a public area, which those are all class-A misdemeanors with jail time plus possibility of up to a $2000 fine."
Investigators are asking residents to check their home security cameras. There’s a chance someone may have video of suspicious activity that could help identify the hunter.
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