Photos Show IDOT Trucks Appearing to Dump Deer at Apple Creek Bridge

Robert Schollmeier, a rural Greene County resident, posted photographs to Facebook on Feb. 22 that he says show Illinois Department of Transportation trucks on the Belltown Bridge in the Apple Creek bottoms on Illinois 267 appearing to dump deer carcasses two days earlier. The images and Schollmeier’s subsequent posts prompted him to contact multiple state agencies and drew an apology from IDOT after the department acknowledged crews had used the site as a temporary holding spot.

Schollmeier wrote on Facebook, “I don’t know if this is right, but I got pictures of IDOT state trucks dropping dead deer in Apple Creek,” and later posted, “IDOT is cleaning up the deer they dropped in Apple Creek on 267.” He told officials that some of the remains, and a rubber glove, ended up in the water below the bridge. Schollmeier said he notified the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, Illinois Conservation Police, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency after photographing the pile.

In a written statement, IDOT said maintenance crews had been temporarily keeping roadkill at the Belltown Bridge location until it could be incinerated, citing “an abundance of deer carcasses this spring.” The department said the animals have since been removed for proper disposal, staff were instructed not to use that location again, and the agency apologized for any concern caused. The statement did not name an individual spokesperson or specify how many carcasses were involved or where incineration took place.

Schollmeier told reporters the pile had been cleaned up by Feb. 24. He also said he suspected similar activity had occurred previously, a claim that led him to document this incident and seek agency responses. Schollmeier questioned whether there would be any repercussions or whether the practice would simply move to a less visible location.

As of March 4, neither the Illinois State Police, Illinois Conservation Police, nor the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency had issued public statements responding to Schollmeier’s reports. The lack of comment leaves key questions unanswered: whether the Belltown Bridge is on IDOT right-of-way for such temporary storage, how often crews use roadside or bridge locations when roadkill volumes spike, and whether any environmental review or enforcement action will follow.

Neighbors along Illinois 267 and users of Apple Creek have been left with two concrete developments: the carcasses were removed and IDOT told staff not to use that site again. Local officials and state agencies have been asked for additional details about disposal procedures and any internal reviews, and residents are awaiting clearer guidance on how roadkill will be handled going forward.