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Deer Management Comments
March, 11, 2014 11:59 AM
I write to publicly support this County's plans to control the deer population (at Henson Creek Stream Valley Park). Prince George's County is at least 10 years behind neighboring counties in instituting deer population control on public land. I'm sure you are looking into sterilization of does as an alternative method of controlling the deer populations since this seems to be a currently popular non-lethal method. A 2006 study however found that sterilization of does is not effective in wild populations because of immigration and doe response to capture. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/0022-541X%282006%2970%5B268%3AMAODPB%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=wild Chemical birth control, although legalized in the state of Maryland, also does not work on wild populations, with an 88% effectiveness the first year and 47% the second year. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/research/reproductive_control/gonacon.shtml. I know this will cause debate however, I am in support of sharpshooting when it is done right and humanely and given the sensitivities in this area about guns, I believe that the hunters are must be very good at this skill before being subjected to such scrutiny. I hope that PGC takes this step forward as we are all hopeful for this county to reach its full potential in all areas.
March, 11, 2014 11:59 AM
I write to publicly support this County's plans to control the deer population (at Enterprise Golf Course). Prince George's County is at least 10 years behind neighboring counties in instituting deer population control on public land. I'm sure you are looking into sterilization of does as an alternative method of controlling the deer populations since this seems to be a currently popular non-lethal method. A 2006 study however found that sterilization of does is not effective in wild populations because of immigration and doe response to capture. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/0022-541X%282006%2970%5B268%3AMAODPB%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=wild Chemical birth control, although legalized in the state of Maryland, also does not work on wild populations, with an 88% effectiveness the first year and 47% the second year. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/research/reproductive_control/gonacon.shtml. I know this will cause debate however, I am in support of sharpshooting when it is done right and humanely and given the sensitivities in this area about guns, I believe that the hunters are must be very good at this skill before being subjected to such scrutiny. I hope that PGC takes this step forward as we are all hopeful for this county to reach its full potential in all areas.
March, 8, 2014 6:05 PM
I read the comments and am really disheartened by all that applaud the efforts at killing the deer in our area. Citizens are deluded by the pretty picture painted in the claims that we are helping the deer by shooting them. It seems that life would be better served if we stopped or at least slowed the continued development in PG County – we seem to have no regard for the wildlife in this area. The wild life was here before we were. We would not hunt down humans, but we have no qualms about killing wildlife; I find it disgusting. Is there some reason we chose to shot instead of spay/neuter? We would do better to control birth rates, instead of hunting deer in residents’ backyards (I live next to a park where sharp shooters are killing at night). There are other alternatives besides having sharp shooters come at night to do their dirty work.
We are slowly destroying the eco-system of our planet. We forget (or disregard) that all life has a purpose. It seems such a shame that with the intelligence that we have (as human beings) we chose to hunt down other species and call it just.
March, 6, 2014 3:20 PM
I applaud the proposed efforts to undertake deer management in Prince Georges County at Enterprise, Oxon Hill Manor and Henson Creek. I would ask that you also consider adding Fort Washington Park and the neighborhoods right across the creek from the Park.
I routinely see 4 or 5 deer in the back yard every single day. As with most other homeowners, these deer have destroyed our plantings. We tried all types of deer repellents, but due to the sheer number of deer, they were ineffective. Now we often see dead deer on the side of the road, which means that yet another car has been damaged and the driver and passengers put at risk.
I would invite you to come to my yard and consider it as a spot for trained hunters to set up. We have a back deck that sits high enough to ensure that arrows would be shot downward at the deer.
This deer issue has reached a point where the number of deer are dangerous - both to their own well-being and to the people who live in the area. Thank you for your efforts to manage this serious problem.
March, 6, 2014 3:20 PM
I am all in favor of controlling the excess deer population, through hunting.
No other method is a quick to show results in all aspects and outcomes.
Please put me down as a supporter.
March, 4, 2014 11:27 AM
STOP THE DESTRUCTION AND/OR THE OVER GRANTING PERMITS FOR DEVELOPERS TO FORCE THE WILD ANIMALS OUT/OFF OF THEIR NATURAL HABITAT
February, 26, 2014 1:46 PM
I fully support the planned deer management plans for Oxon Hill Manor and Henson Valley in Ft Washington. I would like to add for your consideration, doing the same in Ft Foote Park, also in Ft Washington.
February, 26, 2014 1:46 PM
I am requesting assistance from the county and the state to curtail the Deer population in the Fort Washington area. They have become over populated , they eat all of the leaves from our trees, gardens and have personally caused a hazard to drive in the Prince George's county area.
It has gotten to the point that you do not have to hit the Deer. Last year I saw a large Buck run into the side of a person's car. I thought that was unusual and somewhat funny until it happened to me 2 months ago. It cost me $2,000.00 and 2 weeks without my vehicle. Curtail the population before they cause deaths among our community.
February, 26, 2014 9:02 AM
A friend who hunts pointed out your website and said you were looking for comments. I read your website with interest, and while I am not a hunter myself, I SUPPPRT THE HUNTS in these parks as well as elsewhere. What you are doing makes sense to me, and should be considered in other parks as well. I'm pleased that meat that is usable will be donated to feed the hungry, as it is delicious, and lower fat than beef. I hope managed hunts might even be expanded to allow seasonal hunting in our parks by trained civilian hunters as well. Our family also owns land in Accokeek that has scenic easement for the National Colonial Farm Piscataway Park as well, and we support the managed hunts there as well.
I live adjacent to Whitemarsh Park in Bowie, and have a son who contracted Lyme through an infected tick bite. I love the deer and enjoy watching them, but they also do jump the fences (sometimes tearing them down as they did mine), they do invade our gardens, and they can be a nuisance. They probably see us as a nuisance as well.
I see several factors causing our conflicts with the deer population:
The primary issue is that we still have people in our society who look at natural areas and refer to them as "undeveloped" as if that is a bad thing and the land needs to be exploited rather than enjoyed as it is. I love camping and other outdoor activities, and want to preserve as much natural beauty and wild areas as possible. We do not own this land, we preserve it for our descendants. We have encroached upon wild areas again and again, forcing the animal population to wander among us. We are the problem, not the deer.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/deer_management/deerhuntastool.asp
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/pdfs/2009_Deer_Mgmt_Options.pdf
Second, we have altered the balance of nature by removing the predators from these remaining wild areas. The deer as an herbivore is a natural prey animal hunted by carnivores. Humans fear such predators too, thus we hunted many large carnivore species to near extinction. I don't advocate letting wolves and cougars run in our parks snatching our pets for lunch, so it is a fine idea to use other methods to cull the herd. The lack of natural predators has lead to the overpopulation, starvation, disease, and genetic issues like piebald deer. It strikes me as inhumane to NOT reduce the deer population and keep it stable to the food supply and habitat. I'm hoping that the culling of the herds will focus on primarily the sick and unhealthy that would be naturally taken by predators, as well as enough healthy ones to keep the population balanced and hungry people fed. Those who oppose hunting, must not have read the reports on effective wildlife management, and seem to prefer the deer have a slow and painful death from starvation and disease to a quick one which I consider truly inhumane.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/disease/ddpbald.asp
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/deer/disease/cwdinformation.asp
I note on your website that you've looked into other methods of population control to ensure that the methods used are actually effective. I was pleased to see the document on deer management option research on your website. Some probably have recommended sterilization of does as an alternative method of controlling the deer populations, however a 2006 study found that sterilization of does is not effective in wild populations because of immigration and doe response to capture. http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.2193/0022-541X%282006%2970%5B268%3AMAODPB%5D2.0.CO%3B2?journalCode=wild
Chemical birth control, although legalized in the state of Maryland, also does not work effectively on wild populations, with an 88% effectiveness the first year and 47% the second year. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/research/reproductive_control/gonacon.shtml
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/pdfs/2009_Deer_Mgmt_Options.pdf
I have always been a supporter of MD DNR, for preserving our wild spaces, supporting effective and appropriate wildlife management, and working to avoid political entanglements and manipulation. Please keep up the good work!
February, 26, 2014 9:02 AM
Sir/Ma’am
I am definitely in favor of reducing the deer population in Prince George’s County through managed hunts. They are the most effective means of deer population control.
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