EUGENE, Ore. – A Springfield resident has been charged in Lane County Circuit Court with a wildlife violation for the illegal killing of a black-tailed deer, according to documents filed in Lane County Circuit Court.
Rachel Trotter, the wife of a Eugene police officer, faces a Class A misdemeanor charge stemming from the Nov. 23, 2024 incident.
According to court documents, Eugene Police Officer Shawn Trotter contacted fellow officer Travis Palki, who runs a taxidermy business in Cottage Grove. Trotter asked if Palki would mount a deer killed by his wife. Palki agreed, and Rachel Trotter delivered the deer to him. However, Palki alerted Oregon State Police after discovering signs the deer was killed with a bullet smaller than the .40 caliber allowed with her muzzleloader tag. The bullet was found below the deer’s eye, raising suspicions about the legality of the hunt…