Wildlife agents kill exotic deer

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, February 17, 2005

GRANITE FALLS – Somewhere in the swampy lowlands along the South Fork Stillaguamish River, three gun-shy exotic Japanese deer are running from the law.

They’re the last of a herd of sika deer that owner, Hiram Wilburn, 82, says once totaled 48 animals. Wildlife agents say they shot three of the deer last weekend and plan to dispatch the rest soon.

Herald file photo The state is hunting for three exotic sika deer that escaped their pasture near Granite Falls.

Wilburn, in a letter to The Herald, wrote that the agents “proceeded to shoot and steal four of my deer. I think is (sic) was four as the others ran off into a swampy area.”

Wilburn could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

The shots were the latest round in a long standoff between Wilburn and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. Sika deer were outlawed in Washington in 1992, except under strict regulation. Biologists say they can interbreed with native deer and elk, which would dilute the gene pool.

Sika deer are also at risk of spreading disease among native deer, said Capt. Bill Hebner of the Fish and Wildlife Department.

Wilburn first ran afoul of the law in 2001, when wildlife agents became aware of his deer. After efforts to work with Wilburn failed, he was charged in 2002 with unlawful operation of a game farm and unlawfully releasing exotic wildlife. From time to time, some of Wilburn’s sika deer would escape from his property.

Those charges were dismissed in December after prosecutors reached a deal with Wilburn in which he was to kill all the deer by noon Dec. 20. If he didn’t, the state agents were required to kill them.

At the time, Hebner said he thought Wilburn had killed all nine of his remaining deer, based on the observations of his neighbors.

Later, six deer reappeared on Wilburn’s property, Hebner said.

“We think he killed three,” he said Thursday.

Despite the court order, Hebner said the department took its time, trying to avoid a confrontation. In the past, Wilburn has threatened to shoot government officials if they appeared on his property.

“We know we’re not welcome on his property,” Hebner said. “We tried to trap the animals off his property. We were unsuccessful.”

After two months, the department decided to shoot the deer. Agents again tried to work with Wilburn, Hebner said, but were angrily turned away.

In his letter, Wilburn said the agents shot his deer early in the morning.

Hebner said they shot three of the deer, while the other three got away.

“As soon as we can locate them, we’ll destroy the remaining three,” Hebner said.

As for Wilburn’s charge that the state stole the deer meat, Hebner said it was simply a matter of waiting for a calmer moment. “I want to give him the deer meat,” Hebner said. “I do not want the deer meat.”

Finishing the job might not be easy now that the survivors have wised up to hunters.

“We’ll be lucky if we get all three the next time,” Hebner said.

Reporter Scott Morris: 425-339-3292 or smorris@heraldnet.com.