Field Reports

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

Aggressive city deer killed

Four mule deer that were harassing a local teenager on his newspaper route in Helena have been killed by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens.

The issue came to a head recently when Zach Lukenbill had to dive under a truck to avoid the charge of a six-point buck.

“He was huge,” said Lukenbill, 17. “I walked around the corner and he charged me.” The buck kept the boy under the truck for 20 minutes before wandering off.

In the past, three other bucks have stood between Lukenbill and a house, preventing him from delivering the paper.

Meat from the animals was donated to social service organizations.

Complaints about aggressive deer in Helena have risen steadily in recent years. FWP officials say the city’s deer population has grown to between 300 and 400.

Deer in urban areas are more difficult to manage because traditional means, such as hunting, are off-limits. The 2003 state Legislature passed a law that authorizes cities to work with the FWP to control wildlife within city limits.

Meanwhile, a 73-year-old man has died after being attacked by a deer that he encountered in his back yard in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.

Ron Dudek encountered the deer Sept. 25 when he went outside to pick tomatoes. The buck struck him in the face, ripping a hole in his cheek and ramming an antler into his mouth.

Some neighbors said the buck that gored Dudek had become increasingly bold in September.

Dudek’s widow, Joanne, said she and her husband of 54 years never fed the deer that came into their yard.

The attack on Dudek was the third violent deer encounter reported in California during in four weeks.

Associated Press

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Pheasants Forever organizing

The Spokane chapter of Pheasants Forever will meet at 7 p.m. Monday Nov. 14 at Five Mile Heights Pizza.

“We feel this new chapter in the Spokane area has tremendous opportunities to do some good work for wildlife,” said Mark McNaghten, chapter president.

Pheasants Forever is a national non-profit organization that works to improve habitat for pheasants and other wildlife.

Rich Landers

SKIING

Seeing is believing

Thar’s snow in them thar hills, but you don’t have to take the word of the ski resort operators. Go online to check Web cams and see for yourself:

Schweitzer – www.schweitzercam.com.

49 Degrees North – www.ski49n.com.

Silver Mountain – www.silvermt.com.

Methow Valley – www.mvsta.com.

For a listing of these and other Web cams throughout the Northwest, go to www.northwestwebcams.com.

Rich Landers