Deer hunt a done deal
The town deer hunt, which was to continue until the end of hunting season on Jan. 31, was “officially ended” two weeks early, according to Rob Lucas, master of the hunt.
“The recommendation to Parks & Recreation from myself, Kent Haydock and Friends of Selleck’s Woods was that the hunt was a success for the time being,” Lucas said.
Lucas said that the original goal of 12 had been cut in half after the Darien Land Trust was unable to obtain the required insurance to have the hunt take place on Dunlap Woods, which would have doubled the acreage.
“That cut the area down by half, to 28 acres, so we cut our goal to 6 deer,” he said.
Lucas said that the poor design of the hunt prompted him to recommend halting it, and that the most deer the hunters ever saw in a day were 7.
“I saw it as being a diminishing return, if it were to continue, the hunters would lose interest — to continue for two more weeks for one more deer is not worth it,” he said.
Despite the low count of deer killed, Lucas said he would not call the hunt a failure.
“We got three does, which give birth to an average of two fawns, which means nine fewer deer next year,” he said.
According to a press release from the town Deer Management Committee, prepared by Kent Haydock, all hunters were advised to stop hunting and remove their tree stands. The signs closing Selleck’s Woods for hunting have also been removed and the park’s normal visiting hours have resumed, he said.
The press release also indicates that the “year-long project was a productive experiment in animal control in a number of ways.”
Haydock also noted that “local newspapers have provided very valuable public information over recent years on accepted medical and scientific findings which bear upon protecting the health and safety of our community and restoration of our prized woodlands.” These findings, according to Haydock’s press release, indicate that “the only viable way to control the exponential increase in deer population is by regular culling.”
The press release also includes that “many previous local surveys plus continual ‘grass roots’ contacts by people involved, demonstrate that a large majority of Darien residents support this kind of action.”
Friends of Animals, an international animal rights organization based in Darien, has been vocal about their objections to hunting as a method of controlling deer population.
Priscilla Feral, president of the organization, said that Friends of Animals wasn’t surprised that the hunters haven’t met their expected quota for killing deer on the nature preserve, but still expressed regret for the three that were killed.
“All the ink in the paper cannot bring those lives back,” she said.
Feral said that the Fairfield County Municipal Deer Management Alliance and their “apologists” at the state Department of Environmental Protection have advanced “specious arguments” which she said were “railroaded” through several towns.
“What has changed is that people are starting to scrutinize that nefarious agenda, although Friends of Animals were never meant to have a voice — an open forum and public debate wasn’t part of their scheme,” Feral said.
Lucas said he hoped that if the hunt is held again next season, he will have learned from what they did this year.
“If we design the hunt differently, we will have different results,” he said.
First Selectman Evonne Klein has said that as of now, a deer cull has not been listed in the Board of Selectmen’s priorities and has not been budgeted for, so it might not happen. In the meantime, Feral said that “residents of Darien can begin thinking about respecting deer and showing our ability to live positive, creative lives ourselves.”
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21 Comments
On January 13, 2006, Candi wrote:
So, your harvesting these poor animals, just so there will be fewer animals in the area? what happened to tranquilizers, and transporting the animals into a new enviroment!?! It is good that the hunt was cut down, but it still seems like quite a few deer to be killed for less than 30 acres of land, you could have simply moved them!
[Blog editor’s note: The deer didn’t need to be transported anywhere; just left alone. After the hunters chased as many as they could feed and find into the Nature Preserve, three were shot and killed. Two more likely fled to the highway and were found hit by automobiles. Wish we could transport the hunters to another environment.]
On January 13, 2006, PO wrote:
These hunters are just a bunch of screwed up individuals. They need to feed their sport so killing innocent animals is all they know. How sad! It has nothing to do with cutting down the deer population, we ALL know that is a bunch of bull. Here again they use excuses to feed their own habit. Shame, shame. We all wonder why deer run into the streets with arrows still stuck in them and a slow painful death or being wounded and running to die or just running from these blood hungry animal killers/haters. I would NEVER be friends with a hunter.I don’t know how hunters can live with themselves, but killers I guess do! All they say is,we are going to eat the meat and we are going to do this and that. All I see are dead or wounded deer left to die, where is the hunter who shot him/her. As I said he was just killing or trying to for his Trophy and sport. How pathetic is that?? Also I feel hunters are cheating by feeding to attract them and killing them while they eat. They are not hunters at all. Just KILLERS of wildlife. How sad.
On January 17, 2006, Jamie wrote:
Hunting season provides hunters to have a sport on trying to get a deer, I know it’s sad but it does help from deer over populating. It is cruel if some one hunted a deer and left it there to die, yes that is wrong, than using the deer up. Nature has a balance and it must be preserved. I am a true animal lover. I hate to see dead animals either wild or domestic but I always say to myself I hope they had a good life and they are not in pain. Some people who hate animals don’t understand that and they never will. I know people have different opinions and everyone will just turn there rage on me just for typing this message but that is your problem.
On January 18, 2006, Alexis Allen wrote:
Well, I think you raised a problematic contradiction here, Jamie. On the one hand, you say Nature has balance, yet on the other you say the deer are overpopulating. Assuming the latter is even true, clearly there’s another influence keeping Nature from doing its work, and it’s probably our constant intervention and harrassment.
But, more to the point, when an animal’s freedom is less important than a human’s mood, their “sport” if you like, then our priorities are profoundly jumbled.
On January 21, 2006, PO wrote:
hunters also have total disregard for the permit laws. There is a hunter who hunts on private land on my street, he’s there now and he was there WAY before sunrise(half hour before is the rule)! I know the rules, does he? I’m sure he does and is hunting for his own sport and satisfaction. Rules mean nothing to him. Slaughtering deer as they feed is all they care about. Then he can tell his buddies” Oh i got a deer”. That is not hunting!! Most hunters do not know how to hunt they will kill any way possible. What a bunch of sickies!!!
On January 21, 2006, PO wrote:
Well he killed a baby deer saw him dragging it and putting it in his truck. How disgusting to let this happen in front of my eyes or even happen at all. Plus he broke the permit laws by getting there way before sunrise. Such useless killing . Laws need to be changed in regards to private land hunting. What use to be a country road is now like a city. Yet hunting is allowed?? I doubt the people have ten acres plus I’m sure these hunters use this “private property” as a back door to the Nature preserve bordering this property. Do you think the DEP checks to see if there is enough private property? I do doubt it. There are A LOT of houses around now and hunting laws need to be changed for private property. IT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED!
On January 26, 2006, John wrote:
I am not a hunter, and I don’t claim to know everything about hunting. But I don’t argue something if I don’t know the facts. 1st: It is completely legal to get into your treestand before daylight, you just can’t load an arrow or bullet until a 1/2 hour before sunrise. That is the law! 2nd: You can’t translocate deer in CT, the whole state is overpopulated. Some areas have 100 deer per square mile! And nature has no balance in CT, without the top predator (wolves), there is nothing but disease or starvation to keep the deer population in check…….or hunting. Is starvation more humane than a bullet through the heart (average time to die = 20 seconds vs. 20 days of starvation)? I think not! So who is being inhumane? Those arguing for starvation, or for a 20 second death? I love animals, and I want what is best for them in CT……which is hunting. Somebody prove me wrong! And please don’t say birth control!
[Blog editors’ note: While you say you don’t hunt, your ideas are identical to those who do. We suggest you visit our Web page on Hunting, listed under Programs. No one at Friends of Animals advances birth control for deer or other free-living animals. Moreover, deer don’t need management. Controlling ourselves is a progressive thought, as our impact on the environment is excessive.]
On January 28, 2006, PO wrote:
How come Hunters “cheat” to Kill? I’m in Bethel CT. The lady on the street lets the hunters go through her property and into the Nature Preserve which their land borders. Thats against the law is it not? It makes me sick to see these hunters who “supposedly” are hunting on her property come out with dead deer. These deer live there its their home what gives these hunters the right to go into the nature preserve. Its funny the sign on the other street where the nature preserve is says Wildlife preserve. Yeah right. These hunters are using a backdoor to the preserve. Hey John I doubt you love animals if you hunt, You are just a killer of animals.You disgust me. Its like devils den in Weston Ct. It was the Deers home until “the killers” needed something to kill. So they lay food out and then slaughter the deer while they eat in their home area. What pathetic people. How they can live with themselves is beyond me. But Killers do!
On January 28, 2006, Bob wrote:
I love animals. I have a backyard full of feeders for all kinds of birds and animals. I have several acres of wooded property and there are foodplots and natural habitat for animals all over it. These animals are never hunted except with a camera and to keep the population down so they won’t become over populated. Over population of wildlife in any area causes inbreeding and starvation. Inbreeding is the number one cause of desease that wipes out hundreds of animals and it is a slow miserable death.
I am also a hunter. If you had ever witnessed nature’s way of controling wildlife you would understrand about conservation. I have seen the inbred starving animals in the wild {I spend a lot of time in the woods} because I love nature and time spent in the woods just walking and looking or with my camera or with my rifle is quality time for me. I completely understand that everyone who goes into the woods with a gun or bow is not concerned with conservation. I do not have a single mounted animal on my wall and I have been hunting for over 50 years but I do have wild meat in my freezer and we eat it regularly.
If you radical people really want to help the wildlife start a campaign to stop the large timber companies from destroying the habitat. Thousands of Baby squirrels, raccoons, O’Possums etc. are killed each year because the trees that their nests are in are cut and hauled off to the mills with the babies still in the nests.
Call me a killer if you desire but I save more wildlife than I kill and I think God knew what he was doing when he put man at the top of the food chain.
In closing I would like to say if you don’t believe in killing animals don’t go the store and buy any kind of meat [someone had to kill an animal for the meat to be there.] Also don’t wear leather shoes, coats, or carry leather purses [someone had to kill an animal for the leather goods to be there for you.]
On January 28, 2006, sue wrote:
I do agree BOB about the Timber companies. I use to live in the country, now everything has been cut down and I have houses on top of me considering I have 3 acres and I moved here (23 years ago) because it was such peaceful country and street. Now there are speeders, screaming kids, it’s terrible. All of these builders are sucking up so much land, it’s taking away from wildlife. No wonder why there is so much animal kill in the road. These poor animals have to scramble out of the way and find new homes. Something has to be done to save the open land. These builders have total disregard for wildlife. All they see is money. As do the towns that allow it. I do not eat meat and do not wear leather, fur etc. I still do not believe in hunting and find it interesting why it’s mostly men who do hunt.
On January 29, 2006, Bob wrote:
Sue, you are wrong about it being mostly men who hunt. I don’t know about the part of the country you live in but in this part of the country the ratio is probably close to 50-50. More and more women are getting involved in hunting each year. I believe if you check the statistics you will find this is true everywhere.
I will make a bet that somewhere in your house you have something made from a dead animal. Some cosmetics have by-products of animals in them. Soap is made from by-products of dead animals. Rawhide chew bones for dogs are made from animal skins. Most all dog and cat food has by-products of animals in them. Do you eat sea food? Something had to die.
This is America and I respect your right to have your own opinion, all I ask is that my right to my opinion and way of life be respected also. Hunting is not a sport for me I love meat especially wild meat and I eat everything I kill.
On February 1, 2006, Steven wrote:
I do belive that it should be helped but i also belive in hunting im a good oder not just shooting every thing ya know
On February 1, 2006, Lee Hall wrote:
Are you merely a thing, to be hunted? Why suggest that other animals are?
Lee Hall
Friends of Animals
On February 2, 2006, Steven wrote:
I Also see it a other way… We Hunt deer and other animals right… But Think about this just once… I understand if you dont agree with me but we hunt animals but the alos hunt us its a thing i call “the hunter is now the hunted”… Like wolves your hunting and a pack of wolves will hunt you when they see you…. and so on.
[Blog editors’ note: Steve, we don’t hunt deer or any other animals. Nor do groups of wolves hunt people.]
On February 2, 2006, Steven wrote:
ya i understand it was just an idea…
On February 6, 2006, Bob wrote:
Well I guess if someone posts something that is contradictory to your beliefs you just don’t post it. Especially if it may plant a seed of doubt in someones mind as to the validity of your cause.
[Blog editors’ note: Bob’s last posting extolled the virtues of slaughter, adding nothing to the topic under which he posted. Seedy, for sure.]
On February 7, 2006, Bob wrote:
My last posting extolled nothing but the truth. I believe the part you did not want anyone to see was the part about your house must be infested with rats and other pest if you do not believe in killing anything.
Like I have posted before I love animals. I do hunt because I love to eat meat. I feed and care for the animals because Man in his quest for the all mighty dollar has taken away most of their natural habitat, but I am not a fanatic either way.
If you could look me in the eye and tell me that you have never and never will kill any living creature than I can respect your feelings about killing animals but if you can’t than you do not have the right to call me a killer because I hunt for meat.
I know this won’t be posted either but it will be read by you [the editor] and that is the important thing.
Bob
[Blog editors’ note: Bob’s wild predictions aside, we hope he learns to love eating carrots.]
On February 8, 2006, Alexis Allen wrote:
Attention to sanitation and other preventative measures (such as applying wire mesh to any openings other than windows and doors, keeping bird seed off the ground, sealing garbage in cans with tight-fitting lids) are usually sufficient to keep rats and “other pests” out of a home. It’s certainly worked for me. Well, it’s true that couple of little spiders live with us, and I have to keep an eye on the cobwebs when I’m vaccuuming.
With proper housekeeping and an understanding of the environment in which you live, it is quite possible to never run into these problems in the first place. I don’t see why killing is always the first solution, especially when alternatives are available.
On February 8, 2006, Bob wrote:
I can tell you don’t live in a frame house in the edge of the woods. Rats multiply at a very fast rate. If I didn’t have cats running loose outside the rat problem would be uncontrollable. I just pray my cats don’t turn into vegetarians. You think it is humane to cover the garbage and all food sources so they will starve instead of killing them fast. All you are doing is keeping them away from your house so someone else can kill them. You don’t have to see it that way so it is ok. As for other pest if you bring groceries home from the super market you bring roaches into the house. You can’t run them out, you have to kill them.
You insinuated that I live in an unclean environment. I live as clean as you, I just live in the woods instead of a crowded neighborhood in the city {Thank God}.
This will be my last post on the matter. You people are so unrealistic it is pathetic. I will keep hunting and I will keep my cats to kill the rats that I cannot get to. I will keep spraying my house to kill the bugs and If a poisonous snake gets in my yard I will kill it to keep it from killing one of my grandchildren. God gave me enough sense to know what has to be done and do it.
Bob
[Blog editors’ note: Sorry to hear you are leaving; but in turn we’ll leave you with a quote. Your grandchildren might be helpful in explaining it to you, one day, if not today: “Humans — who enslave, castrate, experiment on, and fillet other animals — have had an understandable penchant for pretending animals do not feel pain. A sharp distinction between humans and ‘animals’ is essential if we are to bend them to our will, wear them, eat them — without any disquieting tinges of guilt or regret.”
-Carl Sagan, astronomer and author (1934-1996)
& Ann Druyan, author (1949- ), in Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, 1993]
On February 9, 2006, Alexis Allen wrote:
Friends of Animals recently published an article on how communities can live safely with deer in our Fall, 2005 issue of ActionLine. We encourage anyone living near a wooded community to read it and consider what alternatives to hunting exist.
On November 16, 2006, paula correia wrote:
Hi,
I commute everyday and I take the back roads, because I do not like driving on highways. I see deer in these backroads all the time and it frightens me. I have a real problem driving the backroads in the winter, because it’s pitch dark and foggy and I just slow right down. Is it true that deer are attracted to the high beam lights? I was told that they were and so I just drive slow, because I cannot see far.
Is there anything I can do or anything you can suggest?
Thank you,
Paula
FoA comments:
To drive safely, never “over drive” your headlights — don’t drive faster than you can safely stop within your range of vision. There could be a deer, or a human on the road hidden by the fog or the darkness.
Deer are not attracted to the high-beams, but even ordinary headlights can confuse and startle the deer.
Also, putting on your high-beams in foggy conditions can actually decrease your range of vision as it lights up the fog in front of you and the light reflected back can obscure your vision.