Should hired guns thin local deer herds?

[Hamilton Reef]

Should hired guns thin local deer herds?
State officials want to reduce their numbers by nearly half in Metro Detroit

In southeast Michigan, deer have gone from rare stirring sightings to furry nuisances that invade residents’ gardens and, now, garden shops. They eat plants and crops, cause car wrecks, leave droppings and could lead to the spread of disease.

“Metroparks aren’t a place for guns, bows and arrows,” said Judy Brock, president of the Metroparks Deer Preservation Council. “People live around here.” Huron-Clinton Metroparks, which operates 13 parks in southeast Michigan, had such a problem with deer in 1999 that it hired sharpshooters to reduce the number.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060108/METRO/601080408/1003

[sandbur3]

In Duluth and parts of the Twin Cities, certified bow hunters have been given a chance before the hired guns are brought in. Has any attempt been made for the same In the Detroit area?

[Hamilton Reef]

Michigan is fragmented on how to deal with urban deer management harvest. City Holland, Hoffmaster State Park, City Marquette, and SE Michigan all have their local problems and views of deer management options.

Two major discussions always come up. The Peta/anti-hunting groups VS reality of deer management, and the private shooters VS public hunter access to public deer.

[Pinefarm]

I know guys that'd do it and THEY would pay the city, not the other way around. :)

[One Eye]

I know guys that'd do it and THEY would pay the city, not the other way around. :)

Now come on Bob. We can't be doing something that might make sense, can we :rolleyes:

Dan

[enfield]

Nah, we'll just wait for them to starve to death -- that's the humane thing to do.

[Neal]

In Duluth and parts of the Twin Cities, certified bow hunters have been given a chance before the hired guns are brought in. Has any attempt been made for the same In the Detroit area?

Yes, hunters, both firearm and bow, have been used by park systems to reduce the deer herds.

[jimmyboy]

Add Cincinnati OH to that list.

[Tom (mich)]

Nah, we'll just wait for them to starve to death -- that's the humane thing to do.
There are a lot of arguments to support a controlled hunt in over-populated areas, but starvation clearly isn't one of them, most notably in SE Michigan. Hunters MUST stop the perpetuation of the myth that deer will starve if we don't shoot them - it simply isn't the case (UP notwithstanding), and it hurts our cause to bring it up over and over.