A GLEN Innes family have been left shattered after illegal hunters snuck onto their property, shot their pet deer and left with its head.

Camera Icon Family pet Big Red was beheaded by trespassers. Credit: Supplied

The Warwick Daily News reports that father and property owner Jonathan Alt posted to Facebook about the gruesome incident that left his family grieving their beloved Big Red.

“Lets try and track down the idiot that did this,” he wrote.

“Such imbeciles will no doubt be telling all who will listen.

“It is quite near houses.

“It must be assumed the people who did this are local or had knowledge of the deer. It is visible from the road.”

The family live on a property near Rangers Valley and are calling for all who have any information about the incident to contact them or Crime Stoppers.

The incident comes a month after Karara farmer Paul Bateman spoke out about trespassing shooters who came onto his 283ha property at least twice a month, totally unannounced.

“The thing that bugs me, is they’re not doing it for a feed or anything like that,” he said.

“They shot a buck and just left him there, didn’t take a trophy, a hide.

“Unless they actually hit someone, or take down a prize bull, it’s hard for anyone else to really take notice.

“But by then it will be too late.”

Stock and Rural Investigation Crime Squad Detective Sergeant Brendan Murphy said trespassing was one of the region’s most prevalent rural crimes.

“Trespass is one of the issues that is a constant for us,” he said.

“There’s a couple of issues with it and a lot of relates to livestock.

“It’s an offence to leave gates open, and to cut fences is wilful damage.

“It’s a big problem, because once livestock gets out, they get on main roads.

“Plus if you’ve got anything on four legs its probably worth a lot.”

Det Sgt Murphy said anyone planning to shoot or camp on property was legally obliged to ask property owners before doing so, and leave land immediately once asked.