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Unscrupulous loggers looking to make a quick profit are cutting down valuable walnut trees without permission on private property in rural areas of southern Wisconsin, a law enforcement official said.

Landowners confronted loggers after they cut down as many as 20 walnut trees without permission on their property in the Brodhead area earlier this month, Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden said.

Those loggers, as well as others who have been confronted in the area cutting down walnuts and oaks, claimed they thought they were cutting down trees on land owned a neighbor who had hired them, he added.

“It’s happening more and more,” Spoden said. “They’re coming in and cutting down trees on the boundaries of property. The owner s, by the time they realize it, are out of luck.”

Brian Knudson, of rural Brodhead , was one of the landowners who confronted the loggers. He said the loggers offered to give him $1,000 per tree to keep him from reporting the incident to law enforcement. He said the loggers cut down from 12 to 20 walnut trees without permission on property owned by him and his neighbor.