"Jangchub" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:57:31 GMT, "Jonny"
wrote:
That's my point. People moved to Lakeway because of the free flowing
deer and aren't they cute. Now the deer are eating their plants and
suddenly the deer are disease infested. That term was not really
about disease, I saw it as a metaphor and symptom of how people
totally disregard animals and their welfare.

As a resident of Lakeway, I can say that the people did not move here for
the "cute deer" - they moved here for the LAKE. I think that the feelings
about deer have been pretty consistent....they're nice to have around and
look at and so on, but are a real pest for eating the plants.

But, here's the educated statement I have to make (as a wildlife biologist):
Deer *are* - for the most part - overpopulated in Texas. In some places
(like east of Bryan) it's so bad you can literally see the lines on the
trees where the deer can reach no higher to browse. Contrary to common
belief, deer do not eat grass - they eat forbs, which are leafy plants. So
just because there is lots of grass doesn't mean that there is lots for the
deer to eat - they can be in the middle of a grassy meadow and still starve
to death. So when they find a yummy suburban yard full of yummy tender
leaves, well, you do the math.

The reason deer are overpopulated are because we - humans - decided to
manage the predator population in Texas for ranching purposes. These
"managed-out" predators consisted primarily of wolves, both grey and
mexican. There are no wolves remaining in Texas (with the exception of a
few sightings along the border every ten years or so) and any efforts made
by biologists to re-introduce them so far has been met with strong
opposition from the ranching lobbies. The long and short of it is that wild
predators will *not* be around in any significant numbers for any time to
come for some time, so deer are free to explode as a population - and create
a lot of issues for other species who are now being crowded out by competing
for the same space. And yes, disease is one by-product of overpopulation.
I wouldn't categorize deer as a species as being diseased, but disease rates
are higher - and birth weights, antler mass, and other health indicators are
lower.

Now since man in Texas has made the decision to manage the predator
population, then we MUST manage the deer population as well. I'm neutral
regarding hunting - I see it as a necessary evil. Personally I don't eat
much meat. But I know many, many hunters who take their hunting
relationship with the deer that they kill as a very personal and even
spiritual one. Not many hunters that I have met (again, as a deer hunt
managing biologist) are just "out for blood" or violence. It is about much
more than just the kill - and most cosume the animals that they kill. And
unfortunately there aren't many alternatives to hunting - relocating the
deer just creates an issue in other areas.

The argument about how deer were here before us is pointless. We have *all*
(people and animals) been here, our ancestors, in one form or another. But
as the one species with the thumbs and the ability to manage another, we
must take responsibilities for our actions. And our actions have created
the situation, and now we must deal with it.

It has nothing to do with emotions or violence or how "cute" an animal is -
and absolutly *nothing* to do with prejudicial derogotory blanket statements
about other's motivations for species management. For biologists, it has
everything to do with ecosystem preservation, and it is our responsibilities
as stewards of the land that we live on.

Julie