Last Saturday, I read several posts on Facebook about an individual (who will not be named) shooting a deer with a pellet gun in their backyard on the island and bragging about it. Not only is this cruel and inhumane, but it is also a major violation of state regulations. Not only is deer season closed, but you are also required to use a firearm of no less than .24 caliber or a bow and arrow to legally take them. I have three pellet guns from .177 to .25 calibers and although the most powerful of them is appropriate for raccoons, you should never shoot them at large game such as deer. Shooting with the intent to injure and inflict unnecessary pain is illegal and unethical. I happened to run into a game warden later that day in Eastern Washington and reported the incident to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Police will be looking into this case. If you have any information on this incident, please contact the WDFW police on their website (wdfw.wa.gov) or via phone (360-902-2200). I ask that if the individual who did this is reading this letter, please turn yourself in and get it over with.

—Adam Kraabel