Hunter cited for dumping animal corpse in Brewerytown

Surgeons have some of the world's steadiest hands.

So, there's some logic behind an upstate New York man's decision to enlist his medical-student son in helping him skin a bobcat, an animal that's an uncommon sight in the wild. What's not so logical is why he decided to dump the animal's carcass into a Brewerytown lot while en route to Florida

Wildlife Conservation Officer Jerry Czech cited the man, 55, today with unlawful taking/possession of wildlife after he turned himself in to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"He's not a bad guy," Czech, who works for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, said. "He's been very cooperative with us, and has given us everything we need."

Czech said the hunter, who's licensed to hunt bobcats in New York, provided him with the following account:

The hunter, whose identity hasn't been released, trapped and killed the bobcat near where he lives in Delaware County, New York, which is located in the Catskill Mountains. He encountered the animal on Feb. 15, the final day of New York's bobcat season.

"He did everything legally until it came time to tag the animal's pelt," Czech said.

It's New York state law for hunters to bring any bobcats they kill to county facilities to have the pelts "tagged" for purposes of tracking animal populations and other biological research.

Instead of doing that, the hunter kept the bobcat on ice, literally, until he was able to enlist his surgeon-to-be son's steady hands in processing the rare animal.

After the deed was done, the hunter ditched the remains in a lot on 31st Street near Jefferson and drove to Florida, where he was traveling to visit his other son. When he got there, he was greeted by frantic messages from his son in Philly, who had seen reports on TV about the found carcass.

"I have to give him credit," Czech said. "He called us right away and admitted to it, and promised to stop in at the SPCA on his way back to New York."

That stop was today, PSCPA spokeswoman Sarah Eremus said. His citation carries up to a $500 fine, and could result in his license being revoked in New York, according to Travis Lau, a spokesman for the game commission.

Lori Severino, a spokeswoman for the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, confirmed that the organization is assisting in the investigation, but said additional details weren't available.

Czech said the man is also being fined for littering by the police department.

"If you throw a McDonald's bag into lot, that's littering, he said. "And if you throw a carcass, that's littering too."

For the record, Czech says the proper way to dispose of animal remains in a city is the same as any other refuse: Throw them in a garbage bag.

"If he did this on his own property in the mountains, it's not a big deal," Czech said. "But do in the city, and people find it and think something horrible happened to the animal."