Deer Management Plan

JoAnn Goldberg December 6, 2012 at 04:23 pm

According to NYS DEC on their recent study on deer management - chemical sterilization is NOT an immedate solution. The only immediate solution is culling the herd ... After that, chemical sterilization can prove helpful. As for cost .... the question should be, how can we not spend the money? Every year, car accidents involving deer go up and destruction caused by deer continues to escalate.
At one time, the herd was kept in check by top-line predators, then came the Native Americans and the settlers. These days hunters are looked upon as being "politically incorrect". I have had no choice but to fence part of my propery and spend hundreds of dollars a year to spray the majority of the property that is not fenced (which is not 100% effective). What does PETA have to say about deer who are injured in accidents and suffer for days before they finally die? What do they say when a hard winter hits and there is not enough forage for them so they slowly starve to death? This is humanitarian? Let's face it people, culling the herd is not the same as stopping the killing of baby seals. Culling the herd is a win-win soluition for both people and deer.

EH Local December 7, 2012 at 06:14 pm

I'm all for culling the herd, of the hunters that I know of, they all process the deer they eat into strips of meat, its not like they're just out killing deer and leaving the bodies in the woods to rot. Venison is a very good meat if butchered properly. Excess meat could also be used to supply food pantries!
What is the alternative...allowing the deer to starve to death? Getting hit by cars? There is nothing cruel about hunting!

Sharon Marie Buckler December 7, 2012 at 08:48 pm

There is already a DEER program with the East Hampton food pantry where they process the meat for $1.00 per pound. Last year all of the local clubs, Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis clubs donated $500 each club to fund the DEER program. It helps the pantry, it helps the people that need the food, and it helps the drivers by not having so many deer in our paths. Why would anyone think it is better to kill them with your auto, or allow them to starve to death? Besides we all know of many people that have lost their lives hitting trees to avoid killing a deer. And don't get me started about the ticks... Lymes disease is rampant on the east end. My youngest was ill for many months, and it stays in your system for years.
Sharon Buckler Kiwanis Club of East Hampton President