MILLSBORO, Del.- Along Pear Tree Road in Millsboro, there are some gruesome images lining the roadway. Deer carcasses are spread throughout. In just a quarter-mile, WBOC counted six on Wednesday morning.
Melvin Truitt, who lives on Pear Tree Road, said that the bodies are remnants of hunting trips, that are gross to look at, create a terrible smell, and attract scavenger animals on the roadway.
"It seems a shame that people ain't got respect for other people," Truitt said. "They just leave stuff along here on the road."
This is not the first time that deer carcasses have shown up on the roadway, according to Truitt. In 2013, WBOC did a story on the situation, and as a result, the carcasses ceased for awhile. But now Truitt said they are back.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said that this is not just a nuisance, but illegal as well for two reasons. The first is due to the state's policy on Wanton Waste, which essentially means killing an animal, without making a reasonable effort to use all of the body. The second reason, is in regards to the law on Solid Waste. Just as it would be illegal to leave a couch on the side of the road, it's against the law to dump a carcass as well. Below is the full policy on Wanton and Solid Waste.
Neighbor Cindy Palmer said that she wants something to be done about the carcasses.
"I remember the first time my grandson saw them," she said. "He had nightmares. I mean, he was very upset about it. So it's something that we're just asking for a little bit of consideration."
1. 18.0 Wanton Waste
Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §103(d))
18.1 Retrieval and Possession of Game Animals. A person wounding or killing a game animal shall make a reasonable effort to retrieve the wounded or dead game animal. The retrieved game animal shall be retained in the individual's possession until any of the following occurs:
18.1.1 The game animal is processed for consumption, consumed or utilized for its fur value.
18.1.2 The game animal is transported to the individual's residence, to a taxidermist, or to a place of commercial processing.
18.1.3 The game animal is utilized for scientific, educational or research purposes.
18.2 Any use of a game animal as not described in items 18.1.1 - 18.1.3 above will be deemed wanton waste.
11 DE Reg. 334 (09/01/07)
2.6025 Solid waste
(a) The Secretary shall have exclusive authority to effectuate the purposes of this chapter concerning solid waste, set forth in § 6001(c)(6) of this title notwithstanding any authority heretofore conferred upon or exercised by any other state agency, but any regulations heretofore duly adopted by any other state agency shall remain in effect and be enforceable by the Secretary unless repealed, amended or modified by the Secretary. Chapter 64 of this title shall not be interpreted to be in conflict with either the purposes of this chapter concerning solid waste as set forth in § 6001(c)(6) of this title, or any regulation promulgated thereunder.
(b) No person shall cause or contribute to the disposal or discharge of solid waste anywhere in the State including any surface or ground water, except:
(1) Through municipal or private solid waste collection systems which have received a permit from the Department; or
(2) In solid waste disposal facilities which have received a permit from the Department; or
(3) In containers specially provided for solid waste collection by any state or municipal agency or private or public group, organization, agency or company which has received a permit from the Department.
(c) Any person charged with violation of subsection (b) of this section, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1500 for each violation and there shall be no suspension of the fine.Each day of continued violation or part thereof shall be considered as a separate offense. The court shall, in addition to levying the fine, order the person convicted to remove or cause to be removed any improperly disposed solid waste. In addition to the fine, the sentencing judge may order community service directed to the removal of solid waste illegally disposed of in the State, and may order restitution for costs incurred in remediation of the solid waste illegally disposed of in the State. The Courts of the Justices of the Peace shall have jurisdiction of offenses under this section.
(d) In the event a motor vehicle is used during or in aid of the disposal or discharge of solid waste in violation of subsection (b) of this section, and the identity of the offender is not otherwise apparent, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that the registered owner of the motor vehicle caused or contributed to such disposal or discharge. The rebuttable presumption set forth in this section shall not apply to operators of buses carrying 9 or more persons.
(e) Any person, who causes or contributes to the disposal or discharge of solid waste anywhere in the State including any surface or ground water, except:
(1) Through municipal or private solid waste collection systems which have received a permit from the Department; or
(2) In solid waste disposal facilities which have received a permit from the Department; or
(3) In containers specially provided for solid waste collection by any state or municipal agency or private or public group, organization, agency or company which has received a permit from the Department, shall be civilly liable to the owner or person in possession of the real property upon which the solid waste is disposed or discharged, for any property damage sustained, for costs incurred by the owner or person in possession for clean up and proper disposal of the solid waste, and for reasonable attorneys' fees. This cause of action is in addition to any other causes of action, rights and/or remedies the owner or person in possession may have.
