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WPCNR ENVIRONMENTALIST. Special to WPCNR from Linda Conte. February 13, 2014:

I have been robbed – robbed of my feeling and experience of our
Teatown (Reservation) area as a peaceful, beautiful, quiet place where nature and
people lived together in peace. A location eagerly sought, containing
old stone walls, huge trees and lots of good memories – the whole
Teatown area has been robbed.

On the way down Blinn Road about 6 p.m. last night, we were
reminded again of how precious and poignant it is, when we
followed, slowly and at a distance, three young deer, beautiful,
majestic and vulnerable, down the road, and watched how difficult it
was for them to find a place to get off the road, a place where they
could navigate the deep snow and icy conditions, to get into the
woods, supposedly to safety.
Shortly after we arrived home at about 9 p.m. everything changed.
Last night, thanks to Teatown “Nature Preserve”, there was secrecy,
trucks plowing through Teatown trails, and people in camouflage
uniforms and carrying rifles. Deer, baited during this difficult time
to find food, wandering into familiar land which recently had boasted
“deer snacks”, pristine areas familiar to the deer as resting places,
suddenly turned into deer-killing fields.
The police were called.
Later, a Teatown Lake Reservation administrator was out in the road
taking pictures of the cars passing in the street and threatening local
neighbors, Teatown members and supporters.
We don’t know how many deer lost their life last night. (The shooters
wouldn’t talk.) We don’t know how many young deer, lost and
orphaned last night, are suddenly alone during this monumental
storm.

We don’t know how much blood and gore is being covered by
the pure white snow today.
But we will NEVER FORGET!

Linda

Conte