WILDLIFE NEWS OF THE DAY - 102709

In a follow-up to a story from yesterday's Wildlife NOTD, details emerging about the accidental shooting of a hunter in Oklahoma point to the fact that both the hunter and the shooter had violated deer hunting rules; while wildlife officials in Maine will be checking deer harvested this year for Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Minnesota state officials have reported a reduction in the number of deer-auto collisions over previous years, although the number remains in the thousands. Residents of a Michigan community are complaining about increasingly aggressive coyotes; but wildlife officials in Montana have levied a stiff fine on a man who is cited for illegally killing a pair of wolves. North Dakota has passed down sentences on two men accused of dealing in bald eagle parts for religious ceremonies; and although the birth rate among bald eagles in New Hampshire has declined, there has been an increase in adults in the population. Residents of Sydney, Australia, are finding more possums invading their homes, so wildlife officials provide some tips on how to deal with the situation; but residents of Auckland, New Zealand, take a much dimmer view of the marsupials. Wildlife officials in West Virginia did some pretty clever forensic work to nab a hunting party from Ohio that was baiting bears; while a documentary set to air on the BBC will dispel some myths about black bears in North America. A rabid skunk was reported near Windsor, Virginia; cautions to residents of South Carolina about intervening in fights between dogs and rabid raccoons are offered in the next item; while a rabid raccoon was accosting people in a Connecticut town until animal control authorities killed it. And finally, keep those raccoons out of the furnace at all costs!

Hunting Violations Alleged in Fatal Shooting

Officials To Look At EEE In Maine Deer Herd

Car-Deer Collisions on the Decline

Coyote attacks dog accompanied by owner

Man cited for illegally killing 2 wolves in northwestern Montana

Man who bought bald eagle sentenced

Fewer bald eagles hatch in NH but more adults

Possum party pooper

LETTER: Blitzing the pests out West

Ohio Hunting Party Charged with Baiting Bears

The man who walks with bears

Health officials report skunk found near Windsor had rabies

Rabid Raccoon, Dog Fight; Man Injured

Raccoon Killed After Chasing People Down

Man found dead after raccoon causes furnace problem