[Mike]

http://www.wmtw.com/Global/story.asp?S=1774668
Friday,April9,2004,12:57 PM

FOWLER TOWNSHIP (AP) — Game wardens in eastern Maine are
investigating the deaths of more than 30 deer in recent weeks.

Maine Guide Lance Wheaton told the Washington County commissioners
Thursday that the loss is devastating.

Warden Brad Richard says up to 24 dead deer were found floating in
the east branch of the St. Croix River on March 31. He says 22 of
those were does or young deer, and only one of 15 adults was a buck.
A woodsman found eight other deer in the river the previous week.

Richard says the loss of that many animals will hurt northern
Washington County’s deer population.

He says he suspects a group of coyotes drove the deer onto thin ice
and when the animals broke through they couldn’t get back to the
shore and died of exposure.