RUSSELL COUNTY — Law enforcement is investigation the shooting of a cow in the southeast portion of the county earlier this week.

According to Undersheriff Andy VanDerWege, deputies were called to the area of 204th and Michaelis Road near the Barton/Ellsworth county lines just after 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Upon arrival, the deputy met with rancher Ted Schepmann at the scene, where a cow was found dead.

VanDerWege said the incident remains under investigation.

“We don’t know if it was intentional, accidental,” he said. “With deer season in full swing, we can’t rule that out either.”

Schepmann said he checked the cows Monday, and didn’t noticed the dead animal then, finding it when he returned for another check Wednesday morning.

He said the cow was shot — “a perfect shot, right through the lungs” — and there also appeared to be other bullet holes near the rear of the cow.

Schepmann said he doubts the shooting was accidental.

“I don’t know how you accidentally shoot something six times,” he said. “It sure looked like someone shot her just to watch her die.”

While that animal was not covered by insurance, Schepmann said he covered the rest of his herd yesterday after the incident.

“We’ve just never had anything like this happen before,” he said.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Russell County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 483-2151.