Three deer are killed

Three deer have been killed at the end of Calabasas Road in Calabasas.

Poachers are suspected, but there’s little evidence to help in finding the suspects, according to Lt. Ken Fowler of Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station.

"We’re trying to catch these guys–who may have a loaded firearm in their vehicle–and may be driving on restricted areas," said Fowler.

The only information authorities have is the description of a red Toyota pickup truck, he said.

Fowler said he distributed information to deputies, as well as the national and state park rangers, and everyone is on the lookout.

Deputies were sent to the area one night, but didn’t see the poachers.

"If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, anyone can drive out there. It’s deserted. Early in the morning, there’s nobody out there," said Fowler.

Paul Edelman, Chief of Natural Recreation and Planning and staff ecologist of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, concurred.

"It’s such an easy spot to do that kind of thing," he said. "It’s easy to hide a car because there’s no traffic, no recreational use of that area right now."

Although it’s located in Calabasas, the land actually belongs to the Conservancy.

"There’s been poaching on that property for at least five or six years, but all of a sudden, it hit home," said Edelman, who added that it’s illegal to hunt deer on Conservancy property or in Calabasas.

Workers at Calabasas Tree and Firewood, a store located on the property, saw the poachers, but were afraid to stop them for fear of being shot, he said.

"They regularly see people go into there, parked just off our property, and enter the area," Edelman said.

When rangers were called in after the killings, all they found were intestines and enough remains to determine that it was three deer.

The animals had been shot with high-tech bow and arrows, said Edelman. They’re very powerful, he said.

"These are not like the old bow and arrows you see in old movies. The auto-powered bow and arrow has the range and force of a bullet," said Calabasas City Council member Lesley Devine, who originally reported the incident to the sheriff’s department.

Devine was not only concerned about the deer, but about people in the area.

"If (the shooters) miss, the arrows can go right across the street into a window at a senior citizen’s hospital," she said.

Devine also was worried that equestrians or pedestrians in the area could easily get in the way of a wayward arrow.

"Are we going to get a teenager hiking or an equestrian?" she asked rhetorically.

Calabasas Planning Commissioner Dave Brown shared similar fears.

"If we have people running around with guns and bows and arrows, soon they’re going to shoot a person … it might be a local kid," Brown said.

"It’s hazardous to people and a tragedy for the environment," said Brown, who said he’s enjoyed seeing deer in the area and is worried about their demise.