Marina and her neighbor were taking a walk in the Marymont Park neighborhood Monday morning. The gruesome sight caught the attention of a neighbor’s dog.
SAN ANTONIO — A San Antonio woman on the northeast side found a baby deer with it’s head cut off on her morning walk. This is in addition to two other cases in New Braunfels where a deer was found without its head and the day before, a buck was found shot and left for dead.
Marina is one of the neighbors who made the gruesome discovery Monday morning. The sight caught the attention of a neighbor’s dog. That’s when Marina snapped a photo.
“It was so upsetting,” she said. “It was disturbing. I didn’t really even want to get close to it and take a picture but I wanted to have proof that yes, this did happen.”
Marina carefully examined the fawn’s head. She says deer are common sightings in the area.
“I checked to see if it looked like it was a clean cut and an animal hadn’t gotten it,” Marina said. “And it was a clean cut.”
Marina dialed the city’s non-emergency line: 311. Attempting to report animal abuse.
“They transferred me to SAPD and then I explained to SAPD what I saw,” she said. “It was disturbing. I was upset because I had seen a news story about some deer being killed with crossbows and one of those deer[s] being decapitated.”
Marina says she was transferred to Animal Care Services and back to 311 who assured her the fawn’s head would be picked up within 24 to 48 hours.
When our KENS 5 crew arrived to the Marymont Park neighborhood Monday afternoon, the head was no longer there.
Texas Parks & Wildlife provided the following statement:
“Texas Game Wardens did not receive any complaints from concerned citizens regarding poaching or poaching activities. Without being able to physically inspect the head, we can’t determine a cause of death based on the photos alone.
This time of year marks peak fawning season, which increases the likelihood of young deer falling victim to vehicle collisions, predators, or other natural causes. It’s not unusual for predators or scavengers to move parts of their prey or remains away from the original site. These events, while sometimes unsettling to observe, are a natural part of the ecosystem’s cycle.”
For now, Marina said she will continue to be vigilant when it comes to her surroundings.
“This tells me that there’s a bigger problem,” Marina said. “Because I’m sure you’ve heard often times when people harm animals. The next step is harming humans, if it hasn’t already started.”
Texas Parks and Wildlife encourages calling Texas Game Wardens if you suspect poaching.