A sign has been placed in the area of the Glenwood Horse Riding Trail where deer carcasses have been dumped.

A “No Dumping” sign has been placed at the site where deer have been left at the Glenwood Horse Trail  in the Jefferson  National Forest just east of the Town of Buchanan. (We had a previous story.) Unfortunately, offenders who happen to leave various states of decomposing deer seem not to realize the sign pertains to the whole area. A few yards away from the new sign at the pinnacle of a parking pull off, two deer carcasses were stacked in a heap side by side. Buchanan Mayor Larry Hall said Tuesday he is looking into the matter. There were no deer additional where 14 others have been removed at cost to the Sheriff’s Department and the Town of Buchanan (even thought it is national forest property.)

So far National Forest officials have taken a hands off approach to the problem of the deer removal. Annie Downing, District Ranger of the Glenwood & Pedlar Districts suggested  the appropriate way of disposal might be discussed in an article. In Botetourt County animal carcasses are accepted at the county’s Citizen Convenience Center near the Roanoke Cement plant in western Botetourt County (a very long drive from Buchanan.) Director of Public Works, Ron Smith said, “The charge is $6 per carcass and the animal cannot be over  75 pounds in weight per the County’s DEQ permit.”

Generally, rural hunters have disposed of the deer carcass on their own property or through some other means like burning the remains.  Downing said in an email, ” I hope your efforts and that of the Sheriff’s Office, the VDGIF and (NFS) Law Enforcement officer Eric Smith will discourage this long time problem.  Earlier this year we spent a week re-configuring the parking area in hopes it would be less attractive for dumping to no avail.”

Mayor Hall reminded the public that the deer decomposition is threatening Well 1 of the Town water supply and that various law enforcement agencies are now on the look out for the perpetrators. Stiff fines and Class 1 Misdemeanor charges could be the result of being caught dumping deer carcasses.

These two deer carcasses are less than 10 yards from the No Dumping sign.

“No dumping means no dumping anywhere up there,” said Hall.