A deer that contracted Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease this summer was killed in November by a hunter in the town of Catskill, New York Department of Environmental Conservation spokesman Jomo Miller said.
This is the first deer in the state to be confirmed as an EHD survivor, Miller said.
The deer was shot with an arrow by a youth hunter Nov. 2 in Catskill.
The family of the hunter notified DEC of deformities on the buck’s hooves. They said that it looked like the hooves were starting to detach from the deer, Miller said.
Environmental Conservation Officer Lucas Palmateer spoke with Wildlife Pathologist Kevin Hynes, who advised him that the symptoms are historically indicative of deer that have survived the EHD virus, Miller said.
Hynes requested the deer be brought in to be tested. The family of the hunter donated the deer and its remains to DEC.
Palmateer brought the deer to the Wildlife Health Unit in Delmar, where the staff tested the buck and found the presence of the EHD virus.
During the late summer and early fall, an outbreak of EHD virus led to the death of 236 whitetail deer in Columbia County and 130 in Greene County.
Another hunter in the town of Catskill was arrested on several charges Nov. 2, for allegedly killing a deer illegally.
The unidentified man was charged with unlawful feeding of whitetail deer, hunting deer with the aid of a pre-established bait pile, failure to tag deer as required, and the illegal take of whitetail deer, Miller said.
Palmateer responded to the hunter’s house, after he received an anonymous tip that a man shot a deer in the town of Catskill. Palmateer interviewed the hunter, who admitted to shooting the 10-point-buck in the woods next to his house, Miller said.
The hunter showed Officer Palmateer the untagged deer hanging in his garage and Palmateer noticed that a kernel of corn was located in the remains of the deer, in a nearby garbage can, Miller said.
When Palmateer was taken to the location where the deer was shot, he located a feeder with corn, attached to a nearby tree, in addition to a large bin of pears that were used to feed deer.
Palmateer seized the deer and the hunter’s tag and ticketed him, Miller said.
The venison was donated to the Venison Donation Coalition.
Hunters charged
Several hunters were charged recently with illegal bear hunting in Greene County.
Four hunters, including one minor, were ticketed for allegedly using bait to hunt deer and bear in Greenville, Miller said.
After Palmateer received an anonymous tip about a wounded bear, near land conservancy property in the town of Greenville, he and conservation officer Jason Smith, and Investigator Joshua Sulkey, responded to the area. The Officers discovered four tree stands, that were baited with mixtures of feed, corn, and mineral blocks. They also located a broken arrow with blood on it, Miller said.
The three later returned to the location and observed four subjects, including one minor, hunting with the use of bait. One subject also possessed an illegal crossbow. After interviewing the subjects, one hunter admitted to shooting and wounding the bear on opening day of bow season. Officers issued 11 tickets, including charges of hunting deer with the aid of bait, placing salt licks on lands inhabited by deer, illegal feeding of whitetail deer, hunting with an illegal crossbow, failing to carry tags afield, hunting bear with the aid of bait, and illegal pursuit of black bear. All tickets are returnable in Town of Greenville Court, Miller said.
On Nov. 20, Smith received a call from a concerned hunter in the town of Lexington, that a black bear, had been illegally shot.
The hunter was in a field during the first morning of the regular season for the Southern Zone and witnessed a sow with three cubs descending the mountain through his property. He contacted the other members of his hunting party to advise them it is illegal to harvest a bear that is traveling in a group in the Southern Zone, Miller said.
Shortly after texting his hunting party he heard four shots that came from an adjacent property in the direction the bears were traveling. The hunter later located evidence of an animal being shot and contacted DEC, Miller said.
Smith and Palmateer responded to the location and collected evidence, including photos, video, and witness statements. After interviewing nearby residents, they located the sow bear carcass at a residence in Prattsville. The individual that killed the bear admitted to taking the sow and was issued appearance tickets returnable in the town of Lexington Court. The bear was seized as evidence and the meat was donated, Miller said.
On Nov. 21, DEC officers busted a baited hunting camp in the town of Hunter.
After officers received tips, Palmateer and Sulkey monitored the property and found piles of corn at multiple locations, Miller said.
Three different subjects were located hunting over large piles of corn. After further investigation, the officers discovered a fourth hunter had shot a black bear on the same property, Miller said.
The bear was located untagged and lying approximately 10 yards from the bait. The officers seized the bear and ticketed the shooter for hunting with the aid of bait, failing to tag as required and illegally taking black bear. The three other hunters were ticketed for hunting with the aid of pre-established bait, Miller said.