Deer Park Area News and Events


Thursday, September 11, 2003
This New Richmond News article was edited by the DPCC webmaster
Cylon man charged in dog’s death

A 69-year-old Township of Cylon man is facing a felony charge in connection with the shooting death of one hunting dog and the shooting injury of another.

The rural Deer Park man is set to make an initial court appearance Sept. 29 on a felony charge of mistreatment of animals/causing death and one misdemeanor count of intentionally mistreating animals.

According to the criminal complaint, filed last Thursday, he allegedly shot two Walter Raccoon Hounds with a 20-gauge shotgun after they entered his property June 21.

Prosecutors allege that once he realized one of the dogs had been killed, he removed its tracking collar, threw it in the Willow River and dumped the animal in a nearby ditch. The other dog was shot in the leg, ran off the property and was later recovered by its owner.

In a statement to deputies shortly after the incident, he reportedly said he was just trying to scare the dogs, who had what he thought was a bear, trapped in a tree on his property.

He reportedly said he was awakened at about 10 p.m. by the dogs barking and wanted to scare them off because he had been having problems with hunting dogs crossing his property.

The animals, both males, belonged to an area raccoon and bear hunter, who said he was “running” the dogs near in the area of 210th Ave., when they ran into an open field and did not return.

The owner of the dogs, valued at $6,000 each, told deputies he went in search of the animals after hearing gun shots and called sheriff’s deputies after finding the tracking collar in the river.

The Deer Park man reportedly told deputies he intends to make restitution to the owner of the dogs.

If convicted of the felony charge, the man could face up to 3.5 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000.

He will appear before St. Croix County Circuit Judge Eric J. Lundell. At press time, he had not yet entered a plea in the case.

(Webmaster Editor note: Wisconsin, unlike neighboring states, permits the use of dogs to hunt bear. The dogs chase bear up the tree, the hunter follows shooting them out of the tree. Other states deem this practice as illegal hunting. The Wisconsin problem is that dogs are trained far in advance of hunting season and their barking and howling at odd hours of the day disturb people in their homes late at night and very early in the morning.)


Home