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.
