NY Campus Shaken by Bear Butchering Incident in Cornell Dorm

Stomachs Turned

Many on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York, were stunned to learn about an incident over the weekend involving two undergraduates, a black bear, and a campus dormitory.

A complaint filed on Sunday, September 7th, prompted the initiation of a police report. Although their actions weren't necessarily illegal, students on campus were disgusted by the notion that it was harvested in a "common area."

Valid Hunting Licenses

Sources in central New York report that the Cornell University students held valid New York State hunting licenses and legally harvested an approximately 120-pound bear in DEC Region 4.  But instead of processing the animal off-site, the pair reportedly dragged it into their residence hall and began butchering it in a shared kitchen space.

Photos circulated on Cornell’s subreddit and appeared to show the skinned carcass stretched across a tarp-covered table where students usually cook meals.

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Possible Health Risks

The source states that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed the hunt itself was legal and did not violate state hunting laws or regulations.

But, students expressed concerns about potential health risks.

As one commenter on Reddit put it, the most alarming part was not the legality, but the idea of “a skinned bear where I eat breakfast.”

Improperly prepared bear meat can carry parasites that cause trichinosis, a potentially severe infection, according to the NYS DEC. 

So far, no charges have been filed, and Cornell officials stated that there are no specific prohibitions in the student code of conduct against processing an animal on campus.

However, the incident has left many unsettled.