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Kevin Scroggins is fed up with all the talk about poisoned corn.
Last month, someone dispersed highly toxic poison mixed with corn in an effort to eradicate wild hogs in Eastland County, about 100 miles west of Fort Worth, creating a scare among hunters in the region.Deer season opened last weekend.Scroggins, owner of Rust Deer Plant in Cisco, which processes deer and other wild game, said he understands the concern but has grown weary of the hype."Yes, our business has slowed down," he said. "But it’s mostly the rumors that are hurting us, not the actual poisoning."State officials are continuing to investigate the incident involving the misuse of Temik, a pesticide that can kill wildlife and humans."It’s a serious case," said Bryan Black, spokesman for the Texas Department of Agriculture, which, along with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, is involved in the investigation. "We’re trying to determine . . . who put out the tainted corn, and once we put the pieces together, we’ll be able to find out what violations were made."Fines could reach $5,000 per violation and there could be several violations, officials said.Investigators, including officials with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, are still evaluating whether all the corn has been removed, Black said.The corn, a popular feed used to bait wild hogs and deer, was spread around peanut fields at U.S. 183 and County Road 173, about nine miles south of Cisco."Those feral hogs are a big problem," said Lt. Tracy Davis, a game warden in the region.At least one deer, two birds and some wild hogs were killed by the poison, officials said. Because the poison is quickly eliminated from an animal after ingestion, officials say people who ate wild game from the area probably wouldn’t be poisoned.Still, officials told hunters not to harvest deer or wild hogs within five miles of the intersection.Healthcare providers were alerted.And the rumors started flying about how it was unsafe to hunt in Eastland County."We want to dispel any rumors out there," Black said. "Ninety-nine percent of the land in Eastland County is fine for hunting. If you’re going to Eastland County this weekend and if you’re not in that five-mile radius, you’re absolutely fine to hunt deer." Scroggins said hunters should just use common sense."A lot of people are scared, but if a deer is standing up and walking around, it’s probably going to be OK to take it," Scroggins said.Ninety-nine percent of . . . Eastland County is fine for hunting."
Bryan Black,Texas Department of Agriculture
LEE WILLIAMS, 817-390-7840
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