Shared Thoughts on the Culling (And this is my last post on this topic)

First, I would like to say thank you to everyone that has recently commented or e-mailed me regarding my posts.  The most popular posts at the moment seem to be:  Mulling the Culling, Mulling the Culling II and Coosawattee Campground (almost 800 page views since posting!).

Needless to say I have had a TON of traffic and lots of feedback and I APPRECIATE it.  Communication is the universal solvent and when done efficiently and respectfully can really accomplish a lot. 

Now, back to the 'culling'.  The debate seems to continue on.  Why some things get perpetuated to nausea is beyond me, but hey, whatever floats your boat.  I'm going to begin compiling the feedback I've gotten along with my own knowledge and research about the topic and begin posting some conclusions in this post - but please be warned - some of you may not like what I have to say.  So, in those instances, let's agree to disagree until we get this thing figured out. 

First, I'd like to share some thoughts that have been expressed to me.  I'll put them into brief bullet points as I don't want to quote the sources.  I'm sharing these thoughts as a reference of people's feelings.  The human mind will react in a survival instinct, and that instinct is based on initial, instantaneous feelings - feelings that will persist out of defiance even if the mind knows better.  To get anything done, people have to understand this, accept it and proceed with negotiations understanding it.  Now, for some thoughts/comments that have been sent to me and I'll add my opinion later on:

1.    People are disrespectful on the pro-cull side often resorting to name calling

2.    Most scientific facts that have been used by the pro-cull side could be disputed and are/were for the most part up for interpretation or twisted to serve a point

3.    Good information was peppered with falsehoods to suit personal beliefs and not complete fact

4.    Deer eat corn in nature and it does not hurt them.  (I must add, while it isn't the healthiest choice for them, it won't be the death of them either.  I know there are numerous articles with conflicting discussion.  The fact is that corn is to deer as energy drinks are to humans, and its actually heavy in starch and fattening, but not that most Americans have room to point fingers at any critters eating habits!!)

5.    I'm tired of hearing about the natural fauna being destroyed

6.    There aren't many deer in my neighborhood - is this problem only in certain areas?

7.    People are driving the cull notion for self serving desires

8.    If there is no food as people say wouldn't the deer move on?

9.    Are entire ecology is suffering because we have reduced natural predators so what difference does it make if we reduce the herd when the real problem has not been corrected (I agree whole heartedly with this comment.  A deer cull is only a bandage over the real ecological issues Man has created). 

That is only a sampling of the many comments that have been e-mailed to me, but no need to post all of them as many of them say virtually the same thing.  Now for my view.  I've thought long and hard about this and realistically, I think I have summed up my thoughts in previous posts.  But, here goes:

1.   The nastiness of both sides, though the most nasty has come from the 'pro' side, has got to stop.  Grown adults should not be acting this way and NOTHING will come of this continued behavior other than both sides entrenching themselves further to their ideal side of the issue.

2.   If anyone wants to truly set the eco system back to where it is supposed to be then you have to reintroduce natural predators back into the wild.  Anyone that says that the deer need to be thinned, but we should not inconvenience Man with predators, is preaching from a very personal soapbox and is not looking at a cull as a sustainable solution - only one that fixes the probably right now.  They are not a solution to the problem, rather an extension of it.

3.   The problem as described by a few people may truly not exist in all areas of Coosawattee.  We are, after all, a huge area.  I can say that in my neck of the woods I see some deer, but not to the extent that others report.  There may only be particular areas with higher population of deer and I am quite certain that the deer population is commensurate with the human population.  More people destroying the environment by deforestation to build houses (just being sarcastic) and planting non-indigenous species of plants will draw more deer.  Feeding doesn't help, either.

4.   The CRR Board needs to work with the property owners to reduce building by consolidating vacant lots either through designation of green space or re-platting. 

In summary:  Man has created this issue.  I won't beat the dead equine because I have a post that discusses this.  That said - Man will never be the solution.  Four things need to happen to fix this problem, if it is in fact a problem:

1.    Quit being stubborn and acting like spoiled children.  Communicate like grown adults and have civil, productive discussion to come to a consensus.  This may sound harsh, but we have all seen the actions of folks fighting over this issue and it isn't good.  Just stop!

2.    Reduce future human population/growth through vacant property consolidation and production of green space.

3.    Don't feed the deer.  No matter what you think  - and your intentions are probably good - they aren't starving.  Observe from afar, but leave them alone!  If there is nothing in CRR for them to eat they will move on.  Nature made it long before Man came along with our ill placed sympathies and will most likely make it long after we have destroyed ourselves.

4.    Talk with Forestry and Natural Resources about developing a plan to stabilize the eco system through reintroduction of natural species such as wolves.  Mass elimination of one species will not help long term.  Man has tried that approach many times in our past and it was never good. 

Hopefully this hasn't taken an authoritarian tone, but simply my thoughts and beliefs.  I would like to hear yours - but please keep it clean:)

Thanks again to everyone for reading my [sometimes] rambling thoughts.  As always, I love to hear from my readers and appreciate your communication.

That's it for now because the weather is absolutely stunning along the Coosawattee River.

Till next time,

 

Chris