Group shot and killed over 100 deer ‘just for fun,’ Pennsylvania officials say

Over the course of several months, scores of dead deer began mysteriously appearing in a Pennsylvania community. Littering front yards and roadways, the animals seemed to have been shot to death and left to rot.

Now, after a lengthy investigation and one midnight stakeout, the group responsible for the bizarre killings has been apprehended, according to a May 25 news release from the state game commission.

In September, state game wardens began receiving reports that many residents of Franklin County — about 170 miles west of Philadelphia — had found dead deer with bullet wounds outside their homes.

One area resident said they saw a vehicle shine a spotlight on a group of deer at night and watched as one animal fell to the ground after a gunshot rang out.

Following the reports, game wardens began patrolling the area at night but were unable to find the suspected poachers.

But around midnight on Jan. 3, Warden Philip Bietsch spotted something while on patrol: a vehicle that matched the description of the one seen spotlighting a group of deer months earlier.

Afterward, he rushed to an area along a road where deer had been turning up dead and lay in wait. Soon after, he heard a series of gunshots and saw the vehicle from the gas station using a spotlight nearby.

Bietsch stopped the vehicle and found three people inside with a rifle who said they shot at three deer.

Following more interviews, officials learned the group of accused poachers was made up of six people: three 20-year-olds and three juveniles.

“In total the group estimated they shot between 100-200 deer ‘just for fun,’” officials said. However, officials were only able to find evidence of 26 illegally killed deer.

As a result of the “killing spree,” the six people have been charged with 113 counts of unlawful taking or killing of game or wildlife, among other charges. It was not clear if any of the six had retained attorneys.

Pennsylvania has strict rules for deer hunting, according to the state’s game commission. Hunters must be licensed, and they are limited to a certain number of kills during a specific window of time.

This story was originally published June 2, 2023 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Group shot and killed over 100 deer ‘just for fun,’ Pennsylvania officials say."