Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 21, 1992 TAG: 9201210226
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Medium
COWS, GOATS TAKE SHOTS DURING DEER-HUNTING SEASON
Hunters looking for deer are believed to have shot and killed cows, calves, horses and goats during the past hunting season, game officials say.The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Richmond said it received 1,200 calls on its toll-free hot line from people reporting hunting violations during the deer season that ended Jan. 4.
"Trespassing is the number one complaint, people ignoring posted signs," said Game Warden Rex Crawford.
Among those who called to complain was George Cook, 65, a cattle farmer in Buckingham County.
"I've been raising cattle for 10 years," Cook said. "Over the last three years I've lost three calves and one cow to hunters or hunting dogs."
You can't always prove it was a hunter, Cook said. "By the time you get there, they're gone.
"The little calf I just lost was probably killed the last day of hunting season. She was definitely shot. Her bones were crushed by the bullet."
Cook's Limousin cattle sell for about $1,000 a head.
"I'm paying big money for hunting when I don't even hunt," said Cook.
"Any decent hunter should know the difference between a cow and a deer."
Game wardens agree.
"Once in a while someone does get his cattle shot," said Buckingham County Game Warden Douglas Blosser.
Wythe County Game Warden Jim Anders agreed, "Every year, one or two head are killed here, too."
Such accidents are usually caused by hunters shooting from the sides of highways, many game wardens believe.
"It's a shortcut for a lazy hunter," Blosser said. "If they go onto a man's property, they have to get the owner's permission, whether the land's posted or not. Anyone who shoots from within 100 yards of a public road has broken a state law to start with."
"These cattle are not accidentally shot," said Albemarle County Game Warden Kenneth Dove. "I believe it's vandalism and purposeful destruction of property."
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries sold about 290,000 bear-deer-turkey licenses this past season. About 14,000 of those went to out-of-state hunters.
"Ten years ago I knew every hunter around by first name," Cook said. "But now people are pouring in here who don't know a cow from a deer.
In Nelson County, a woman whose car had broken down was riding her horse to get help. A nearby hunter with a high-powered rifle thought he saw a deer and fired. The bullet missed the rider by inches. The horse was killed.
Three hunters also were killed in hunting accidents during the deer season.
Keywords:
FATALITY