Gunshots heard over the last few months around the usually quiet Village of Palos Park have some residents spooked.

During a recent village board meeting, some described disturbing noises coming from a nearby forest preserve. One woman, Maria Rogers, told the board she could hear five "pops" one a recent afternoon, the Regional News reports.

Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller told Palos Patch on Tuesday he feels they are closer to catching the sneaky shooter. A few locals have come forward with information that has led investigators to "believe it’s some kind of poachers or hunters."

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The department has worked with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County for the past couple months to hunt down the source of the gun fire. The indications right now point to hunters who could be stalking animals in the woods out of season.

Wooded areas near where residents are hearing the shots, including Forty Acres Woods, are full of deer and other tempting game, Miller said.

Police have been investigating since early August, according to the Regional News. The occasional gun fire has been heard after midnight. Early on, police had believed it could be local residents trying to scare off coyotes.

It's possible that they might never find out who is behind the mystery gunshots, Miller said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Palos Park Police Department at (708)448-0639.

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