Sunriver Man Seeks Halt to Illegal Deer Hunting

Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division officials say they have been seeing more incidents in which hunters will trespass on other people’s property to get an opportunity to shoot a deer. And one Sunriver resident says he’s had enough.

Dean Kennedy has lived out in Sunriver for almost 20 years. On any given day, you can see deer in his backyard, even coming up on his deck.

And it’s those deer that he says has attracted many to come into his neighborhood for illegal deer hunting.

“They drive through here during archery season, and where I’m standing, here is an example of where they shot one and cut the fence to drag it out,” Kennedy said Tuesday evening.

Kennedy is an avid hunter himself, and says he’s not against hunting, only the methods some are using to get their game animals.

“Not in people’s backyard,” Kennedy said. “These deer are pretty much domesticated — they are born and raised here.”

Archery season begins Saturday, and Kennedy said he expects many more poachers.

But Kennedy isn’t alone in thinking there’s a problem.

Oregon State Police say they have also been seeing a lot of trespassing problems in that area.

“You just can’t go tracing across someone’s property for no good reason — you need permission just like anywhere else,” said OSP Sgt. David Pond.

Poaching is a criminal offense, a Class A misdemeanor, just like DUII or reckless driving. A person could be punished by up to one year in jail or a $6,250 fine.

Most legal hunting takes place on Forest Service lands, such as the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests, but authorities say it should not happen on residential property.

“There’s a lot of opportunity for a person to hunt, other than trying to trespass on somebody’s on somebody’s one acre or less out in Sunriver,” Pond said.

Kennedy says he won’t hesitate to report on anyone he catches on his property.

If you see poaching going on, you’re urged to call and report it to the OSP dispatch center, or contact the “Turn in Poachers” tip number at 1-800-452-7888.