Coyote stocking in Pa.

[iwerk2hard]

Internet story about coyotes declared a hoax
Wednesday, February 2, 2005 2:34 PM EST

A recent Internet story circulating around the area about a Pennsylvania Game Commission truck loaded with coyotes, crashing on I-80, has caused much stir among local hunters.

The look-alike newspaper story about a PA Game Commission truck that crashed on I-80, on Jan. 11, was investigated by The Ridgway Record and was found to be a hoax. The story claims there were 12 coyotes in the truck, seven of which escaped following the accident. The other five were found dead in the wreckage. It was noted that the coyotes bore a tattoo in their mouths with the letters AZ, depicting the state of Arizona, in which it was believed they originated. The article went on to claim, the PA Game Commission would not return calls about the incident.


The Ridgway Record checked with the DuBois-based State Police and they had no record of such a collision on, or around, the declared date. The person who was named, as an employee of the game commission, and alleged to have been driving the truck, is not employed by the commission and had no phone listed in the town that was listed as his residence. The area newspaper in which the article was supposed to have run, denied any knowledge of the incident.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission immediately spoke with this reporter about the incident. Jerry Feaser, Press Secretary for the PA Game Commission issued the following statements.

"This is a false rumor, like many other recent ones, regarding the importation of coyotes to Pennsylvania. There are over one million deer in Pennsylvania and only about 30,000 coyotes. We know from a fawn mortality study, that coyotes and bear both take about the same number of fawns each year. Most rumors, such as this one, claim coyotes are being transported to Pennsylvania in trucks. Besides the expense, the practicality of importation would be challenged, since the coyotes are likely to kill each other. Any stocking of coyotes would require a permit from the game commission or it would be illegal. The game commission has not, and will not ever issue a permit for a coyote stocking program."

http://www.ridgwayrecord.com/article...ews/news03.txt