Dead Deer Found On Western Avenue Near Kennedy Park

CHICAGO, IL - Multiple longtime neighborhood residents have said that the deer found dead near Kennedy Park in the city's Morgan Park neighborhood Tuesday morning is the first one that's been spotted in the area in several years. It's certainly a rarity for one to be found along Western Avenue, the major thoroughfare in Beverly/Morgan Park and the longest continuous street in the city of Chicago.

That's where residents report seeing the deer, dead on its side, at the northeast corner of the intersection of Western and 113th Place around 7:45 a.m. Rattled concrete and apparent tire pressure on the corner of the Smith Village property suggest that the deer was fatally struck by a vehicle that was headed northbound on Western.

But while Tuesday morning's incident left a noticeable mark in a busy area, it isn't the first of its kind reported in the neighborhood in recent weeks. 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea said that about three weeks ago a car hit a deer on Pulaski Road.

That is of course much closer to St. Casimir Cemetery, which is known to be the home of dozens of deer.

"The amount of deer we've had in our community is greater now than I've ever seen," O'Shea said. "It's not uncommon to see them in cemeteries and golf courses."

The deer have been known to wander, as well, and Tuesday morning's incident occurred just blocks from the northeast corner of Mount Hope Cemetery.

Patch photo