$5000 Reward for Poaching Information

By Michael Gibson | 15 May 2017

On Saurday morning Mike Kasprzak a deer farmer from Birdwood discovered 2 of his tame stud deer had been poached with their heads removed for trophies.

Mr Kasprzak, who has now posted a $5000 reward to reveal the killers, said there would have been no “sport” involved in the killing, which happened in the confines of a paddock with semi-tame animals.

The South Australian Advertiser interviewed Mike

“It is disgusting, to think someone had the gall to sneak in here at night and do this. Instantly I knew when I saw them lying there is was poachers because they had taken the heads,’’ Mr Kasprzak said.

“Our deer are very quiet and are bread for temperament, when they saw them at night the deer would have thought I was coming with a handout.

“We heard nothing so they would have used a silencer on a .22 rifle, and probably no more the two to three metres away.

“They would have maimed them, and cut their throats, then cut their heads off just for trophies.’’

Mr Kasprzak blamed promoting the stud farm on a suspect industry Facebook website 12 months ago for attracting the killers.

The farm has stock of around 1000 and specialises in European Fallow Deer and Fallow/Persian Hybrid Deer.

“A lot of people were aware that bandits operate on this website but warned me too late that it high risk,’’ Mr Kasprzak said.

“We have 14 paddocks and they knew exactly where they were going so I think they saw what we did on the website a year ago, and stalked the place.

“That is what gets me, it is so deliberate and planned, not the economic loss but that somebody planned this.

“It is such lunacy given that each year the antlers are cast off and for many years they produce a new set of bigger and better antlers that can be picked up of the ground.’’

Mr Kasprzak said he and his wife Nancy had been breeding deer for 30 years, with venison recently as a byproduct.

The farm uses a strict genetic management plan to development high-quality deer aiming for perfect temperament, body weight, and antlers.

The slain bucks were valued at $3500 each.

“Our deer are valued and nurtured as a quality asset and not just another commodity,’’ Mr Kasprzak said.

“Regrettably it’s the quality of our animals that has now attracted the poachers. At some point you know it is inevitable but we haven’t had a problem for 30 years.

“Birdwood deer farm offers a reward of $5000 for information leading to the conviction of the perpetrators.’’