When you come into contact with a wild animal, do you know what to do? Jennie Braaksma, Certified Veterinary Technician, recently met with Heather Gottschalk, Conservation Warden for Dodge County and Eastern Columbia County, to help answer some questions regarding proper protocol on really what can and must be done in certain scenarios:
1. You are out in the woods hiking and you see a sick deer.
Animals out in the wild can fend quite well for themselves, often deer can even live fine on three legs. If the deer seems ill but moves off, just leave it alone. If it is blatantly obvious that the deer is sick (emaciated, severely injured, walks in a circle, doesn’t run off, etc.) call the conservation warden to report it and she will give instructions on what to do. The only exception is during deer season. You must follow all hunting regulations (have tag for it, it must be in season, correct zone, etc.). You may then legally shoot a sick deer, tag it, and register it. Call the warden or DNR office and a replacement tag will be issued to you. If you come across another species which is sick, call if you have health or safety concerns.
2. You see a deer on the side of the road that has been hit, but is not dead.
You cannot shoot the deer. Nor can you tag it with a gun or archery tag. Call law enforcement and they will dispatch the animal and place a “carkill” tag on it.
3. You see an animal caught in a trap.
It is a criminal violation to take an animal out of a trap or to molest a trap in any way. For your own protection, leave it alone and contact the warden if you have any concerns about its legality.
4. You come across some baby animals (raccoons, squirrels, bunnies, duckling, etc.)
Leave these babies alone. Their mom may come back. If you know for a fact that the mom is dead, it is still best to leave the babies alone. It is illegal to take an animal out of the wild, possess it, and keep it. It is unfair to the animal, as they do best in their natural environment. You can be fined if caught with a wild animal in your possession. Baby animals may be cute, but they grow. It is common for these animals to become vicious and bite and become a danger to anyone they have contact with. Also, the more contact a wild animal has with humans, the harder it is to rehabilitate.
5. What happens to these animals once the Conservation Warden has been called?
Injured animals are transported to a licensed rehabilitator. One such place is Wildlife in Need located in Waukesha County. Here they have trained professionals who know how to rehabilitate these animals back into the wild.
If you do not know what to do in a particular situation, call. Conservation Warden Gottschalk will be happy to answer any questions you may have. She can be reached at 920-887-0353.
