Bay of Plenty Regional Council has pulled more animal carcases out of Tauranga's Wairoa River this week, following illegal dumping along the riverbank last month.
Three deer carcases were reported dumped under the bridge, just upstream from popular whitebaiting areas.
About two and a half tonnes of illegally dumped rubbish, which included sheep carcases, guts, skins and heads, tyres, batteries, engines, computers and car parts was recovered along a 200 metre stretch of the river in mid-August.
On that occasion it appeared that sheep were taken for meat from nearby farms. Police were alerted at the time, along with some adjoining landowners.
Regional Council Pollution Prevention Team Leader Annabelle Ellis said the deer may have been taken for meat, as the carcases were butchered.