"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...
In article ,

Aw, poor thing!
Just don't ever accidently step on a tarantula hawk in bare feet.
BTDT, major ouch!

Make sure the Tarantula Hawk is wearing shoes before you step on it. Got
it!

Sorry, couldn't resist. G

In article ,
"Mike Harris" wrote:

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" wrote in message
...
In article ,

Aw, poor thing!
Just don't ever accidently step on a tarantula hawk in bare feet.
BTDT, major ouch!

Make sure the Tarantula Hawk is wearing shoes before you step on it. Got
it!

Sorry, couldn't resist. G

;-D

I have a bad habit of running around in the grass and doing my weeding
in bare feet.......
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

"Barry" wrote in message
...
Noticed a couple of snakes in the back yard yesterday, 12/14 inches long.
Don't know what kind. Are there any home remedies for a snake repellent.
Any advise would be appreciated.
thanks
Barry


Most snakes are not venomous in this area. Some can be beneficial. Most
won't bite unless you step on or near them. Keep the grass mowed, and the
chickens in the hen house. They don't venture out in the heat of the day.
Another "problem" nuisance are spiders. Almost all eat some form of insect.
Yet, people always try to get rid of these "pests". Get rid of the bug
zapper, and leave the daddy long-legs (harvestman) on the porch.
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/StratfordL...harvestman.htm
http://spiders.ucr.edu/daddylonglegs.html
Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their garden is torn
up from time to time. Yes, they're cute, blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog
paw prints in the garden.
--
Jonny

Jonny wrote:
|| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their
|| garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're cute,
|| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the garden.
|| --
|| Jonny

The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made was
not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the worst
pest in this area.

BJ
--
--
"Dependence begets subservience and venality, suffocates the
germ of virtue, and prepares fit tools for the designs of
ambition." -- Thomas Jefferson

--
http://home.swbell.net/bjtexas/SS/

BJ in Texas wrote, On 6/28/2006 7:58 AM:
Jonny wrote:
|| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their
|| garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're cute,
|| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the garden.
|| --
|| Jonny

The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made was
not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the worst
pest in this area.

BJ

LOL
Same in many areas. They're diseased and starving because there are so
many.

On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:58:56 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
wrote:

Jonny wrote:
|| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their
|| garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're cute,
|| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the garden.
|| --
|| Jonny

The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made was
not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the worst
pest in this area.

BJ

Seeing how they've been here way before you, it is you who is the
pest. Should I advocate someone shooting you now?

On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:42:34 GMT, Cindy wrote:

BJ in Texas wrote, On 6/28/2006 7:58 AM:
Jonny wrote:
|| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their
|| garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're cute,
|| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the garden.
|| --
|| Jonny

The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made was
not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the worst
pest in this area.

BJ

LOL
Same in many areas. They're diseased and starving because there are so
many.

What diseases would that be?

"Jangchub" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:42:34 GMT, Cindy wrote:

BJ in Texas wrote, On 6/28/2006 7:58 AM:
Jonny wrote:
|| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why their
|| garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're cute,
|| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the garden.
|| --
|| Jonny

The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made was
not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the worst
pest in this area.

BJ

LOL
Same in many areas. They're diseased and starving because there are so
many.

What diseases would that be?

Don't know about any diseases. May well be, I don't know. The majority of
the local white-tail in Wimberley surrounding area I've seen are very
skinny, similar to charity commercials you see for Africans starving. Skin
and bones.
The white-tail that frequent my above ground leech field seem average
weight. My immediate neighbor has a corn feeder. The "tame" white-tail in
and around the river just west of RR12 in Wimberley proper seem fine as
well. Locals feed them.
Can understand why Cindy perceives disease, but unlikely. Possible though.
In my opinion, its simply the drought manifesting itself by the land not
providing sustenance. Don't kid yourself, there is a drought still
occurring in S. Central Texas.
White-tailed deer are not pests. Its just humans who treat them like pets
or feed them for potential food sources or trophies who create the problem
that may occur during normal circumstances. In the worst of a famine and
drought, deer will assault anyone's garden though. Don't get me wrong here.
I don't consider deer under those circumstances pests, just trying to
survive is all. That's natural, and to be overlooked. No matter the effort
put into the garden assaulted.
--
Jonny

Jangchub wrote:
|| On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:58:56 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
|| wrote:
||
||| Jonny wrote:
||||| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why
||||| their garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're
||||| cute,
||||| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the
||||| garden. --
||||| Jonny
|||
||| The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made
was
||| not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the
||| worst
||| pest in this area.
|||
||| BJ
||
|| Seeing how they've been here way before you, it is you who is
|| the pest. Should I advocate someone shooting you now?

I am willing to bet there is not a deer a live that was here
before
I was... :-)

BJ
--
--
"Death is just Mother Nature's way of telling you to Slow Down."

On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 01:57:31 GMT, "Jonny"
wrote:


Don't know about any diseases. May well be, I don't know. The majority of
the local white-tail in Wimberley surrounding area I've seen are very
skinny, similar to charity commercials you see for Africans starving. Skin
and bones.
The white-tail that frequent my above ground leech field seem average
weight. My immediate neighbor has a corn feeder. The "tame" white-tail in
and around the river just west of RR12 in Wimberley proper seem fine as
well. Locals feed them.
Can understand why Cindy perceives disease, but unlikely. Possible though.
In my opinion, its simply the drought manifesting itself by the land not
providing sustenance. Don't kid yourself, there is a drought still
occurring in S. Central Texas.
White-tailed deer are not pests. Its just humans who treat them like pets
or feed them for potential food sources or trophies who create the problem
that may occur during normal circumstances. In the worst of a famine and
drought, deer will assault anyone's garden though. Don't get me wrong here.
I don't consider deer under those circumstances pests, just trying to
survive is all. That's natural, and to be overlooked. No matter the effort
put into the garden assaulted.

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.

On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:19:05 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
wrote:

Jangchub wrote:
|| On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:58:56 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
|| wrote:
||
||| Jonny wrote:
||||| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why
||||| their garden is torn up from time to time. Yes, they're
||||| cute,
||||| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the
||||| garden. --
||||| Jonny
|||
||| The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made
was
||| not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the
||| worst
||| pest in this area.
|||
||| BJ
||
|| Seeing how they've been here way before you, it is you who is
|| the pest. Should I advocate someone shooting you now?

I am willing to bet there is not a deer a live that was here
before
I was... :-)

BJ
--

Hardy har har. Their grandparents and theirs were.

Jangchub wrote:
|| On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:19:05 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
|| wrote:
||
||| Jangchub wrote:
||||| On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 12:58:56 GMT, "BJ in Texas"
||||| wrote:
|||||
|||||| Jonny wrote:
|||||||| Yet, people still feed white-tailed deer and wonder why
|||||||| their garden is torn up from time to time. Yes,
they're
|||||||| cute,
|||||||| blah, blah. P.S. those aren't dog paw prints in the
|||||||| garden. --
|||||||| Jonny
||||||
|||||| The biggest mistake the hunter that shot Bambi's mom made
||| was
|||||| not shooting Bambi and Bambi's dad. Deer are by far the
|||||| worst
|||||| pest in this area.
||||||
|||||| BJ
|||||
||||| Seeing how they've been here way before you, it is you who
||||| is
||||| the pest. Should I advocate someone shooting you now?
|||
||| I am willing to bet there is not a deer a live that was here
||| before
||| I was... :-)
|||
||| BJ
||| --
||
|| Hardy har har. Their grandparents and theirs were.

My grandparents were here before theirs too... :-)

--
--
"Gullible is a misdemeanor - stupid is a felony... clueless gets
you committed..." - JG

--
http://home.swbell.net/bjtexas/SS/

"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

"marcesent" wrote in message
...

"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


So, Doc, do we feed the white-tailed deer or not?
Between the two native predators around here, hunters and idiots driving
automobiles, the non-fed population is relatively small per sq. mile. The
black vultures are doing well on the roads, thank you. Lots and lots of
them.

Maybe the deer population in Bryan, Texas area (Brazos county) has something
to do with this:
http://www.landandlivestockpost.com/...1904leader.htm
published almost two years ago. Has some biologist hands in it I read.
Don't know of anything in the area of Lakeway that has that much set aside
deer breeding area. Don't see the relationship.

Locals around here know that if you want to keep a garden uneaten or
untrodden, keep a decent height fence around it. Isn't hard to construct or
expensive. Even in Lakeway.

Ecosystems modified by man is his/her doing. Creating a lake in midst of
the hill country, moving a bunch a people out there is another ecosystem
that wasn't there before. Made by man, for man, not deer, not birds, not
flowers, not trees; man. And it follows, to be managed for man, by man.
And it follows then, the heck with the rest of the animal/plant population
if not desired. A threat, a nuisance, or a trivial blight to pleasant
sight, for man, it will be removed in one fashion or another. Stewards of
the land? Nice sounding, almost politico air to it I might add, but not so
in the real world.
--
Jonny

We mostly agree, actually.

The article you quote (from two years ago) is in regards to specific
larger-range private ranches in east Texas managing deer for private
utilization (read: hunting without overhunting). Can it work? Absolutely.

But I refer to more of the state as a whole - and work back to Lakeway. An
article in yesterday's Statesman sums it up well:

http://www.statesman.com/sports/cont.../29legcol.html

The problems in Lakeway (and other urban/suburban areas) do not come from
deer breeding - as you accurately state. They come from many factors,
elimation of predators and suburban sprawl to name a few. Read the whole
article. It will do you good.

You seem to be quite bitter about the motivation of the average individual
as seeing deer and other creatures as "pests." I rather think the average
human doesn't see them that way - far from it. Problem is we all need
somewhere to live, something to eat, and a job to perform. And as a
species, well, we are taking more than our share of resources. Doesn't mean
that people don't care - it means that there needs to be some responsibility
taken, and there is some work to be done.

Point out Lakeway specifically, sure. But we all know that Lakeway is just
one example of a state full of problems. Heck, Austin itself is built in
the entirely worst spot in the state as far as ecosystem impact is
concerned. Our forefathers started the problem for us - we just continue to
inherit it.

But keep pulling obscure facts and articles out and twisting them to fit
your vitriol. And feel free to keep spouting it. Because until you quit
your job, quit driving your car, quit shopping at your local grocery, and
you're sitting naked in the dirt eating renewable-only foodstuffs (read:
nuts and berries) then you can spout off all you want at the "politicos."
Because until that point, you're a contributor to the problem, like it or
not.

Julie

"Jonny" wrote in message
k.net...
"marcesent" wrote in message
...

So, Doc, do we feed the white-tailed deer or not?
Between the two native predators around here, hunters and idiots driving
automobiles, the non-fed population is relatively small per sq. mile. The
black vultures are doing well on the roads, thank you. Lots and lots of
them.

Maybe the deer population in Bryan, Texas area (Brazos county) has
something to do with this:
http://www.landandlivestockpost.com/...1904leader.htm
published almost two years ago. Has some biologist hands in it I read.
Don't know of anything in the area of Lakeway that has that much set aside
deer breeding area. Don't see the relationship.

Locals around here know that if you want to keep a garden uneaten or
untrodden, keep a decent height fence around it. Isn't hard to construct
or expensive. Even in Lakeway.

Ecosystems modified by man is his/her doing. Creating a lake in midst of
the hill country, moving a bunch a people out there is another ecosystem
that wasn't there before. Made by man, for man, not deer, not birds, not
flowers, not trees; man. And it follows, to be managed for man, by man.
And it follows then, the heck with the rest of the animal/plant population
if not desired. A threat, a nuisance, or a trivial blight to pleasant
sight, for man, it will be removed in one fashion or another. Stewards of
the land? Nice sounding, almost politico air to it I might add, but not
so in the real world.
--
Jonny