Ohio Division of Wildlife Is Looking for Person Who Is Killing Deer Illegally in Mentor Headlands Area

The Ohio Division of Wildlife and Mentor Police are trying to find the person (or people) behind a series of illegal deer killings in the Mentor Headlands neighborhood.

Jason Keller, the Lake County officer of ODW, said at least nine deer have been killed in the area since the beginning of the year.

The person (or people) killing the deer have used a bow and arrow, crossbow and gun at different times. He or she also leaves the deer carcasses behind, usually "5 to 10 feet from the road," Keller said.

By not taking the dead deer, Keller said the person is not acting as a hunter usually would.

"It's either someone who's fed up with the deer in the area or someone who's doing this for fun," Keller said.

Keller said he thinks the illegal deer kills are happening at night.

These deer kills break both state hunting and city laws. It's against city code to fire a gun in Mentor. Also, these deer are being killed out of season, which is a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

A person can be fined $250 or spend up to 30 days in jail for taking a deer out of season.

Anyone with information about the mysterious deer killer is encouraged to call Keller at 330-245-3034 or ODW's northeast office at 330-644-2293.