Bow Tie was a very well-known white-tailed deer that was frequently seen in Milwaukee County. Credit: Contributed photo by Randy Crawford

If you're a white-tailed deer in Milwaukee County, odds are you live in or near the county's park system.

The 15,000 acres of parks and parkways provide more than 90% of the deer habitat in the county, according to an assessment by the Department of Natural Resources.

That's a lot of land, but not enough for a deer to hide in.

Especially if you're a big-racked buck like "Bow Tie."

Randy Crawford of Wauwatosa is a wildlife photographer and hunter who enjoys viewing and capturing images of the animals that frequent the county parks.

"It's a kick to hike through the parkways and see wildlife," Crawford said. "Close to the city, but you get the feeling of being away."

Like many local residents, Crawford sees many of the deer on a regular basis.

He had seen Bow Tie for the last eight years. He nicknamed the animal for its distinctive white throat patch.

The buck became locally famous for more than its coloration — it developed an impressive set of antlers.

Based on estimates from sheds collected in recent years, the deer scored about 160 inches.

"This deer had a 'wow' factor," said Jim Bagley of Milwaukee, a hunter and wildlife viewer and friend of Crawford who also frequents the parks.

This year Bow Tie had a large 10-point main frame with two small sticker points, Bagley said.

Bagley had his most recent sighting of the big buck at 2 p.m. Sunday as he was hiking through the Little Menomonee River Parkway in Wauwatosa.

He captured a couple of images of the deer, which was moving away.

A few minutes later, Bagley said he encountered a man wearing waders.

The two struck up a conversation that turned in a very unusual direction. The man claimed he had permission to hunt in the area, Bagley said.

However, Bagley knows hunting is prohibited in the Milwaukee County Parks system.

The man then said he shot a deer with a crossbow.

A search of a blood trail through the parkway showed it wasn't just any deer — it was Bow Tie.

Bagley asked if the man had a license, and the man pulled a buck carcass tag from his pocket. Bagley quickly scanned it for the man's name and customer number.

At his first opportunity, Bagley called 911 and reported the illegal killing of the animal.

The shooter got nervous, Bagley said, and left the area.

Based on the information provided to them, Department of Natural Resources conservation wardens contacted the man later Sunday.

The DNR expects to issue multiple citations in the case, perhaps totaling more than $1,000, said warden supervisor Kevin Mickelberg. In addition, the agency may request the man's hunting rights be revoked for one year and may confiscate his crossbow.

The agency is not releasing the shooter's name until it issues the citations, likely next week.

It's not clear if the deer was shot in an act of willful poaching or through ignorance of the laws.

The shooter violated many rules:

He hunted in a prohibited area.

He was not wearing blaze orange.

He was not wearing a backtag.

He shot an antlered deer during the statewide four-day antlerless-only hunt.

He discharged a crossbow in a prohibited area.

Could an adult hunter be so far out of touch with regulations to commit so many violations?

Or was it a calculated, illegal kill concerned only with getting a big set of antlers?

The DNR will attempt to determine such details through its investigation.

This much is already known: Even if conducted by a poacher, such cases put hunting in a bad light.

When such violations occur in rural Wisconsin, they don't get much attention in the state's biggest city.

But when one takes place in the Milwaukee suburbs, and the target is a charismatic animal known to hundreds if not thousands of local residents, it's bound to result in criticism of hunting.

What happened is condemnable, no doubt about it. The shooter will face justice and suffer penalties.

It's important for the non-hunting public to know the violator does not represent the hunting community.

The vast majority of hunters are law abiding and ethical. About 99% of licensed hunters in Wisconsin will not receive a hunting citation this year.

You should also remember this: Jim Bagley is a hunter (he tagged three deer this fall in Sauk County). If not for his actions on Sunday, the violator might not have been caught.

As hunters, we are responsible to know the rules. And follow them.

And when we see illegal acts, report them.

The future of hunting depends on it.

Send email to psmith@journalsentinel.com