Deer Overpopulation
In Swelling Herds, A Growing Risk – washingtonpost.com
A surge in reported cases of Lyme disease in Fairfax County has prompted an outcry from residents who say the lawns and woodlands surrounding their homes are overrun with infected ticks and the deer that carry them.
Well, if they just do what I’ve suggested in the past, this wouldn’t be such a problem anymore.
The answer, friends, is WOLVES. Wolves! Nature’s great equalizers! Not only would the introduction of several large packs of wolves into Fairfax County control the deer population, it might also take care of your annoying neighbor children — and that yappy little dog down the street!
Wolves. Bring ‘em in. Set ‘em loose. Stay out of their way!
Sure, it might freak little Suzie or Bobbie out a bit the first time they come across a wolf pack ripping into one of the other neighborhood kids, but nothing teaches a child to respect nature like seeing first hand what nature can do to you if you poke it with a stick — or if you stay out after dark.
Posted by RebeccaHartong on March 24, 2007 under Uncategorized
Well, your wolf commentary is absurd. Obviously you have never had Lyme disease or you would not be so flippant. Having had Lyme disease for six years, I cringe at the sight of a deer.
On the other hand, any thought or comment on the cutness or bambiness of deer is also absurd. Deer are a prey animals and need to be preyed upon to lower population numbers or the disease they develop and spread to humans will ever increase.
For the bambi lovers, be brave and smart and hire responsible, good sharpshooters to decrease the herds of deer and harvest this abundant source of protein by donations to homeless shelters or state-supported institutions. This will be the only solution to the rampant spread of Lyme disease and other diseases that overpopulated deer carry.
Hi Anne. Have you read Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” at all? You might check into it.
Besides that, I didn’t see anything in here about cuteness or bambiness. I’m also not exactly sure why you cringe at the sight of a deer when you really should cringe at the sight of the ticks that carry the disease to humans. Lastly, this blog post is all about deer being prey animals and introducing the predators to take care of the problem…
But, again, I urge you to read “A Modest Proposal.” Excellent stuff. Very tasty reading.
Heh, tasty reading indeed, Michael.
I suspect the tick that infected Anne may have also sucked out whatever sense of humor she once had.
I am curious, though: What’s “brave” about hiring someone else to kill the deer? Wouldn’t it be “braver” to get out there and kill them yourself, Anne?
I’m also amused (in a sardonic way) by the idea of hoisting this “abundant source of protein” off onto the homeless and people in state-run institutions. Wouldn’t the really responsible approach be for regular citizens (like Anne!) to start eating them and, thus, reduce their reliance on factory-farmed, artificial-hormone-ridden beef?
Pretty clearly, Anne is bitter and angry about having had Lyme disease and wants to get into an argument with someone about this subject, so it doesn’t really matter that I didn’t mention Bambi, cuteness, or saving deer’s lives.
“Excellent stuff. Very tasty reading.”
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I like the idea of introducing wolves. I’m not so worried about the deer over-population, but I have a few neighborhood kids who would benefit.
Where do I make my donation?
Excellent, Linn! I’ve got ‘yer donation location right here: The International Wolf Center in our beloved Ely, Minnesota!
Wolves are great also extend hunting season.