Campus Readies for Potential Deer Attacks

SIUC is gearing up for deer season.

A committee of university staff and wildlife specialists are set to meet Friday to discuss how to prevent deer attacks like those on campus in recent years, a university official said Wednesday.

University Communications Coordinator Tim Crosby said he was not sure what the staff would decide to do to prevent the attacks, but that the focus would be on educating the public.

There have been 15 reported deer attacks in the Thompson Woods and Campus Lake areas since 2005. Several injuries have resulted from the attacks and one of the rogue deer was shot and killed after attacking an SIUC police officer in June 2006.

Last year, university staff put up caution tape and warning signs to warn pedestrians about potentially dangerous deer, Crosby said.

"They were up during the height of fawning season last year," he said. "They were up at several strategic locations where there was a lot of cover for deer."

Public Safety Director Todd Sigler said his department assists in education, but it doesn't increase patrols during fawning season - the time of year when deer are taking care of their young.

"With only a limited number of officers, it's difficult to be everywhere at the same time," he said.

People often disregard the signs and caution tape that warn them to stay out of areas where deer are more likely to be present, Sigler said. He said the police don't take any action against those who ignore the warnings.

The previous attacks have all occurred during the summer, which is probably because most fawns are born in late May or early June and female deer are protective of their young, said George Feldhamer, a professor of zoology.

Feldhamer said he has never heard of incidents similar to those that took place at SIUC and he isn't aware of any clear reasons for the attacks.

He said that when fawns are studied in the wild, humans often come in close proximity to the mother deer without major problems.

"The doe normally stands off about 20 yards and stares at you and that's the whole show," he said.

Anthony Clemente, who said he saw seven deer Monday near his dorm at Thompson Point, said he thought pedestrians could avoid deer problems by using common sense.

"I imagine if you walked up [to] a doe and it had a young deer next to it, it would be defensive of [its] young," said Clemente, a freshman from Gurnee studying mechanical engineering. "But I don't think it would maul you for no reason."

Jennifer Shelton, a freshman from Hillsboro studying early childhood education, said despite past attacks, she is not scared when she encounters the deer on campus.

"I think I feel more threatened by the squirrels than the deer, actually," she said. "I've had a couple squirrels kind of run at me."