Poaching- was Re: [Sca-cooks] Rotten meat and spices...

[Pat]

Same here.  It is estimated that there are twice as many white tail deer in Alabama as there are people.  In times of drought or hard winters thousands starve.  In some areas, deer damage to the corn crop is so high that many farmers don't bother to plant corn anymore.  The state is trying too little too late to remedy the situation.  There are several "doe days" a year and no limits on most public land.  The predators do seem to be coming back slowly, though.  Coyotes are common enough that small pets are endangered, and I've seen Big Cat scat and tracks, and heard them scream, so I know they're there, both bob cat and mountain lion.

Mordonna

Phlip <phlip at 99main.com> wrote:
The thing is, rural poachers aren't trying to destroy a viable species. In
SE Ohio, where I knew of several poachers, the deer are overpopulated, to
the point that there are constant car/deer collisions, never mind the
interactions between farmers and their crops. It's estimated that the deer
population there is higher than it was before the area was settled, due to
the lack of predators. More than once, I've seen herds of 40 or more, and a
day rarely went by when I didn't see at least one, supposing I stuck my nose
out the door. OTOH, I've cheerfully dropped a dime on people shooting hawks
or wild turkeys, and know of poachers who will do the same.

The state isn't managing things properly, so, when necessary, the rest of us
tend to "help".

Saint Phlip,
CoD



Pat Griffin
Lady Anne du Bosc
known as Mordonna the Cook
Shire of Thorngill, Meridies
Mundanely, Millbrook, AL