WPD Animal Control Officer and South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks work to safely relocate animal
Through the years, a number of high schools with nicknames of wild animals (Tigers, Bucks, Bobcats, Lions, Wildcats,, etc.) have competed in football and/or baseball games, and even at one time track meets, at Watertown Stadium.
We're not sure a school with the nickname of Foxes has ever played here, but at least one member of the species can now say it's been at the stadium, which is home to the Watertown Baseball Association teams in the summer and Watertown and Great Plains Lutheran's high school football teams in the fall.
The facility opened in 1940 and can seat about 5,000 people. And at leat one grey fox.
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The issue first came to light a few weeks back when the WBA officials, coaches, parents and players were conducting the annual ritual of putting up the outfield baseball fence to be used for games this summer.
"We were having trouble with the speaker system and I kept going up to the baseball press box to check wire and see if somnething got damaged over the course of the winter," Watertown Post 17 American Legion Baseball head coach Ryan Neale said.
Neale said he followed the chords to a crawl space above the press box and was greeted by a pair of eyes looking back at him.
Not an avid outdoorsman, Neale admitted he didn't handle the situation well and ran away screaming. Some of the team's players took their own look and didn't have the same reaction.
Watertown Police Department Animal Control officer Chris Christenson was notified and began working with the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks to determine a plan to catch and remove the fox.
"For a few days the fox was gone but then it came back again," Neale said. "Eventually Game, Fish and Parks got a photo of it. Turns out it was a gray fox that normally is never seen this far noth."
Traps were set over the weekend at Watertown Stadium and the fox was caught. On Tuesday, the Watertown Police Deparment's facebook page included a post that said GF&P Regional Wildlife Manager Nick Rossman and Christenson had worked together to safely relocate the fox to more suitable habitat south of Watertown.
"It's a crazy thing," Neale said.
Watertown Post 17 played its first two home games on the season on Tuesday at Watertown Stadium and will host Rapid City Post 320 in Saturday and Sunday games.
It's the WBA's Hall of Fame weekend, induction program scheduled for Friday night, and a good crowd should be on hand. They shouldn't be shocked by a surprising fan.
Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Story and video on grey fox found at Watertown Stadium
