SIU Issues Warnings After Deer Attacks

SFGate.com ^ | 6-17-2005 | Staff

[Red Badger]

(06-16) 13:49 PDT Carbondale, Ill. (AP) --

Seven people have been threatened or attacked by deer on Southern Illinois University's main campus over the past two weeks, prompting the school to post warnings about the animal aggressiveness they blame on fawning season and construction.

"This is something that is uncommon for us to deal with," Todd Sigler, the university's public safety chief, told reporters Wednesday, a day after one person was threatened and two others were sent to a hospital after a doe charged them.

A deer also attacked a person Monday, and two of three people injured by a doe June 7 required hospital care, Sigler said.

All the encounters, which happened near Thompson Woods, could be tied to a female deer's natural protectiveness during fawning season, which typically peaks in June. Clayton Nielsen, a scientist with the campus' Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, said the area deer population likely is rising and that construction and development perhaps have pushed the animals into campus.

Police originally taped off Thompson Woods' perimeter but have posted warning signs there.

Campus officials have not seriously considered suggestions of killing the offending deer, among other things deeming that "shortsighted," Sigler said.

Bill House and other students appear to be taking it all in stride, with House now avoiding paths along Thompson Woods. "I don't want to be a statistic, I guess," said House, a 20-year-old zoology student from Park Ridge.

Molly Hacker, a 25-year-old plant biology student, said she would continue using the forest paths but be more vigilant, though "I don't feel too threatened."

[Red Badger]

Bambi is getting revenge........

[GingisK]

considered suggestions of killing the offending deer, among other things deeming that "shortsighted,"

Actually, it is not shortsighted. It gets rid of the problem indefinitely ... especially for the long term.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Campus officials have not seriously considered suggestions of killing the offending deer, among other things deeming that "shortsighted," Sigler said.

It's much more "farsighted" to allow the deer to overpopulate and invite an epidemic of chronic wasting disease.

[kx9088]

Deer chili :yum:

[George Stupidnopolis]

According to Dick Durbin these deer are worse than the Nazis, Stalin and Pol Pot combined.

[peacebaby]

they're just twitterpated, is all.

[NoClones]

always bring an automobile/suv to a deer fight!

[Fester Chugabrew]

Sloppy Does. Yum.

[peacebaby]

Could it be members of Code Pink in disguise?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

According to Dick Durbin these deer are worse than the Nazis, Stalin and Pol Pot combined.

In that case, I'll have mine medium rare.

[HolgerDansk]

Actually, it is not shortsighted.

And it's a tasty solution, too. Mmmm, venison sausage...

[Hegemony Cricket]

Ha. "shortsighted" could explain poor aim!

[pabianice]

[tfecw]

Yup, serve em up in the dining hall. As the kids walk in and swipe their meal cards give them a dollar for money saved on beef/chicken that would have been otherwise purchased.

Whoops sorry about that, I was daydreaming again.

[andyk]

Bambi burritos! Yum!

[armymarinemom]

When my youngest was going through basic training at Fort Benning they ran rack in an area near the woods. During one of the runs a deer tried to jump over one of the young men in my son's training unit. The deer didn't make the jump so he ended up tackling the soldier and stepping on his ankle. No bones were broken and after a few days rest he was fine.

Weeks later during MOUT training the soldier asked the DI if there was a danger of being shot during the exercise with live fire. The DI answered "you shouldn't but hell a few weeks ago we had some poor guy run over by a deer so you never know".

[Tennessee_Bob]

post warnings about the animal aggressiveness they blame on fawning season and construction.

Ok - what are the deer building, and should we be concerned?

[Disambiguator]

Rambi.

[quantim]

See also

[nothingnew]

According to Dick Durbin these deer are worse than the Nazis, Stalin and Pol Pot combined.

Shoot them. Eat the venison and bury the other one.

FMCDH(BITS)