By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier

In recent weeks more than a dozen of Jane Clark’s penned fallow deer have been killed or had to be put down after attacks by what is believed to be a large male coyote.

Whether the incidents create public safety concerns for people and pets out after dark in the area is a matter for debate among officials and wildlife professionals.

Police Chief Diana Nicols said Wednesday morning that ``until the issue is resolved we have to be concerned about people in that area after dark and recommend that they take measures to ensure their personal safety.’’

Nicols said she intended to alert the school to the problem because of the number of students who walk to the Clark Sports Center. With the time change last week, those students may be returning home after dark, she said.

She became aware of the situation after she received a copy of an email sent to all employees Monday afternoon by Bassett Hospital Vice President Joe Middleton.

``Recently we learned that the DEC has become aware of an increase in coyote activity between the hospital and the Sports Center. The coyotes have become aggressive after dark. Until this issue is addressed we ask that you travel to/from the Sports Center via the Bassett Shuttle,’’ the email stated.

Asked for further comment about why the precaution was issued, Bassett Hospital spokeswomen Karen Huxtable wrote in an email that Middleton said ``he did not have any more details provided to him than were in the email to staff.’’

``We became aware of a safety issue and notified staff as part of our commitment to the safety of Bassett employees,’’ Middleton said.

David Sanford, General Manager of Leatherstocking Corporation, said Tuesday afternoon that they were looking into the death of the deer, but had no indication they had been killed by a coyote.

He confirmed that some deer had died and added that it ``happens occasionally.’’

Sanford said they had never had a problem with coyotes in the past. They had walked the eight-foot fence that surrounds the deer’s paddock and had found footprints. He said they were ``taking steps’’ to remedy the situation.

Scott VanArsdale with the DEC’s Wildlife Division in Stamford said Wednesday morning that he was aware there had been a problem, but was not the investigator.

He said that at this point it did not raise too many red flags and that coyote attacks were ``extremely rare in the East.’’

The DEC, VanArsdale said, did not issue the directive that Bassett employees take the shuttle rather than walking to and from the Clark Sports Center.

``Coyotes attacking deer is normal, coyotes attacking humans is not normal.

Wildlife in pens is like Christmas time for coyotes. It’s easy pickings,’’ he said. DEC Wildlife Technician Gary Golja, who investigated the incident said he was in Cooperstown last Thursday, Oct. 29, and saw a photograph of a coyote taken by one of the cameras set up around the perimeter. He also saw coyote tracks in the pen with the deer.

He said he had been told that 15 deer had died or had to be put down. There were holes under the fence where animals could get in with the deer.

``Given the fence situation, it’s almost a buffet,’’ he said.

Gloja said he believes Bassett’s email to its employees may have been a ``little over-reaction.’’

``Public safety always comes up in these cases,’’ he said. ``This animal is acting as coyotes do. It’s not aggression, its predation. It’s acting normally.’’

Golja commented that he would rather Bassett had talked to the DEC before sending an email to all its employees.

``I wish they had talked to us. People are concerned that if they don’t do anything, they will be held accountable if something happens. A healthy,

normal-acting coyote is not a threat to a human being.’’ Golja admitted that he was surprised that the deer had not been fed on because it runs counter to his experience in other cases.

Ray Key, a licensed Wildlife Control Operator in Pierstown, said Wednesday morning that he is currently attempting to trap what he believes is a large, male coyote who has been acting alone.

The coyote was photographed by one of eight cameras that have been set up around the fence.

``Just one coyote is all we’ve seen,’’ Key said. Although coyotes usually run in packs, he said it was not uncommon for a large male to work alone.

``Sometimes a big male will go off by himself,’’ he said.

Key said the animal has been digging under the fence to get in with the deer.

``We want him because he’s going to keep doing it. He’s got a taste for it. He’s just killing them for fun. He’s not eating them,’’ Key said.

``He’s not a danger yet, still I wouldn’t trust him. You can’t be sure what he would do if he was startled or cornered,’’ he added.

Key agreed that coyote attacks are very rare, but can and do happen and at this point it should be viewed as a public safety issue.

According to Key, the coyote has been on its killing spree for about three weeks and ``quite a few deer’’ have died. Key said they weren’t exactly sure what was killing the deer until they installed the cameras and got a photo of the animal.

Key said he believes the coyote weighs 50 to 55 pounds and doesn’t appear to be rabid.

``If he was rabid, he would work during the daytime and he would be seen more, but this one is working at night,’’ said Key.

He recommended people keep their dogs and cats indoors at night and anyone walking in the area at night carry a walking stick just to be on the safe side.