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Someone illegally digging at pre-historic burial site

Barron County (WQOW) - A discovery in Barron County is attracting some unwanted attention to an island.

Someone has been digging near the site where pre-historic remains were found on Prairie Lake. A team of archeologists were called in to excavate the site and determine the origin of the remains. Since their work wrapped up a few weeks ago someone has been on the island doing their own excavation. That has a number of people concerned.

Erosion on the island on Prairie Lake is what allowed pre-historic remains to be found.

"People going up and down the slope has destroyed the vegetation. That opened it up to erosion and it's erosion that exposed this pre-historic burial, which we think is probably Native American," says Dale Hanson, a Barron County conservationist.

Since the discovery the island has been off limits to the public but Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald says that hasn't stopped at least one person from coming onto the island.

"We want people to use the island if it's available, but right now we can't have any people on it and there has been people on it digging," says Sheriff Fitzgerald.

A few weeks ago deputies discovered a pair of holes. One of those was just feet from where the remains were found.

Sheriff Fitzgerald says he doesn't know if the person doing the digging is searching for more remains or because of the possibility of it being Native American that they're looking for artifacts.

Either way, the sheriff's department has stepped up its patrol of the area. Several homeowners are also keeping a lookout. One thing is certain, whoever did it went out of their way. The only way onto the island is by boat and there are several warning signs on the island not to trespass.

"Everything is a concern for us, every crime that happens and obviously we don't want people bothering it just like a cemetery, we don't want anyone digging up cemeteries, this would fall under that same area," says Sheriff Fitzgerald.

The sheriff says anyone caught could be arrested for trespassing and since it's being considered a burial site there could be other penalties ranging from misdemeanors to felonies.  

Archeologists should have a better idea of what they found in about two weeks. Earlier erosion was mentioned, Barron County will begin work shortly on steps to reduce soil erosion in order to protect any other remains that may be buried there.