Deer Overpopulation

[poconoron]

Here's an interesting article on the devastation to the forest caused by deer overpopulation in the Poconos (and many other parts of the country, for that matter). The ADKs have fortunately been spared this problem thus far, and let's hope it stays that way.

So while it might be nice to see a deer practically everytime you turn around here, it does not make for a healthy ecosystem........

http://www.forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=29820

[Skyclimber]

The ADKs have fortunately been spared this problem thus far, and let's hope it stays that way.

So while it might be nice to see a deer practically everytime you turn around here, it does not make for a healthy ecosystem........

Although this is sad, With the DEC in NYS cutting off, human intervention, for feeding of the deer, forcing them back into their own environment, for survival, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't turned to that here. The deer population has greatly improved in my opinion. I see them all the time verses seldom before.

[redhawk]

Although this is sad, With the DEC in NYS cutting off, human intervention, for feeding of the deer, forcing them back into their own environment, for survival, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't turned to that here. The deer population has greatly improved in my opinion. I see them all the time verses seldom before.

The main reason for that is to try to prevent the spread of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) which has been found in a couple of counties in NY State and the indications are that it was spread to wild deer that mingled with deer being raised in "deer farms".


Another reason to prohibit the feeding of deer is that some (before anyone gets on my case note the word "some") hunters will put feed out for deer to get them conditioned to coming in to one place where they are then easily shot during hunting season. I have one such person right down the road from me whom I have reported on several occasions. (The same person who fired shots at the wood gathering here a couple of years ago.

So while it may seem as if it's a humane thing to do, and it's nice to get the deer in our yards to observe them, in truth, like most other things we do to "help" nature, it is more harmful then beneficial in the long run.

The feeding of deer is one of the things that my opinion has changed on in the past year or so.

[Skyclimber]

Redhawk, I certainly knew all those reasonings already. But in a few and I say a few cases, the feeding is done, for just the sake of keeping the Wildlife from starvation. I feel, if it is an innocent act of "love" for the Wildlife, I see no harm. I however though, DO NOT believe in the baiting of Wildlife for Hunting Purposes later. That to me, is called, "Cheat Hunting."

[Ordin Aryguy]

If more deer survive the winter because of the interventional feeding, won't there then be more deer alive the following breeding season? More deer will be born to those deer, which will lead to an even larger population needing assistance the following winter... ad infinitum.

Besides the obvious problems related to the transmission of CWD, supplemental feeding is a bad idea. It's a fact, some winters are tough, some deer won't make it, but supplemental feeding brings more harm than good for the deer in the long term.


Ordin

[redhawk]

Redhawk, I certainly knew all those reasonings already. But in a few and I say a few cases, the feeding is done, for just the sake of keeping the Wildlife from starvation. I feel, if it is an innocent act of "love" for the Wildlife, I see no harm. I however though, DO NOT believe in the baiting of Wildlife for Hunting Purposes later. That to me, is called, "Cheat Hunting."

As much of a wildlife advocate as I am, I really believe that preventing natural events (deer or other wildlife starving because of a bad winter or drought, etc.) interferes with Natural Selection and in the long run does more harm then good. Just the same as our developing wilderness areas interferes with the natural process by cutting down on their habitat and food supply.

As long as man interferes with the natural forces of nature, whether it be feeding animals, building dams, cutting forests, destroying wetlands (which contributed greatly to the destruction of new Orleans), we continue to have negative effect on the Earth and the creatures who abide there, including humans.

[poconoron]

But in a few and I say a few cases, the feeding is done, for just the sake of keeping the Wildlife from starvation. I feel, if it is an innocent act of "love" for the Wildlife, I see no harm. I however though, DO NOT believe in the baiting of Wildlife for Hunting Purposes later. That to me, is called, "Cheat Hunting."

A problem with "an innocent act of love" is- where do you draw the line? Do we also help out the rabbits and squirrels and chipmunks when they may be short of food? What about foxes, coyotes and bobcats? Should we provide fresh kills for them when they are starving? Otherwise, we are again talking about singling out the deer for special attention- the same thing that created the deer overpopulation problems we are experiencing in many parts of the country. No, I think natural selection and survival of the fittest are the only way to go in our wild country areas.

[windsong781]

In my opinion, if deer or other species of wildlife are starving, then there is already an imbalance in the environment/ecosystem in which they live. Let nature take it's course without human intervention. Survival of the fittest is at play here, and this act of nature actually helps to strengthen the genetic pool of the species being affected by such imbalances. Once nature takes it's course, it is my assumption, from reading the article, that the forest will rebound.
Windsong