Lincoln County - Gun season hasn't started yet, but poaching apparently has.

Two Northwoods men admit to shining and shooting a deer on Saturday.

Deputies responded to a call of a shot fired Saturday night in Merrill.

The caller said the shot was followed by a pickup truck in a field retrieving a deer.

When law enforcement arrived a 20-year-old Merrill man, and a 36-year-old Ogema man were skinning a spike buck. They intially told deputies the deer had been shot earlier with a bow.

Later, when DNR wardens arrived, the men admitted they shot the deer after shining it with a spotlight.

The investigation was turned over to the DNR.

They also confiscated the rifle and buck.

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