Posted on 05/18/2016 4:55:43 PM PDT by SJackson
Last week, the de Blasio administration unveiled their plans to manage Staten Island's exploding deer population by giving every single male deer a vasectomy. However, some experts are questioning their solution—a Cornell University ecologist told the Staten Island Advance, "It's difficult for me to come up with all the reasons why this is a really stupid plan. It's ridiculous from the onset."
The city hopes to perform vasectomies over the next three years in order to bring down the deer population by 10-30%. But biologists say this really won't do anything. The Post painted this vivid picture:
In reality, female white-tailed deer go into heat in the autumn rutting season. They emit a powerful scent that attracts males, who chase them and battle each other until every last doe is pregnant. Normally, the rut lasts a month or two. But with bucks shooting blanks, the does will go into heat repeatedly throughout the fall and winter. The hot-to-trot does could attract bucks from near and far for many more months — including still-potent potential mates swimming over from New Jersey.
Al Cambronne, who has written about deer, said that their mating habits are "more random and promiscuous and chaotic" than the city assumes, adding, "One buck can breed many doe."
Cornell ecologist Dr. Paul Curtis said that when he and colleagues conducted a study (PDF) about managing deer numbers in suburban areas, performing vasectomies on bucks was very difficult, explaining that the biggest ones that have the widest ranges don't respond to sedatives, "We could only do three vasectomies— it wasn't safe for the deer and wasn't safe for us," and described the process as "stressful" for the bucks.
Other possible courses of action would be sterilizing does (which is expensive); contraceptive for does (which don't last very long); and euthanizing part of the herd. The current deer vasectomies plan has been endorsed by NYCLASS, a prominent donor to Mayor de Blasio that is now being probed by the FBI.
A City Hall spokesperson told the Post, "We are very confident in our proposal. It’s a smart approach that can be implemented quickly, before the problem increases.”
=====================
Plan to give deer vasectomies will result in ‘sex-crazed beasts’
New York Post By Mary Kay Linge May 14, 2016
Mayor de Blasio thinks there will be no bang for Staten Island’s bucks once he launches a $2 million vasectomy plan to sterilize the borough’s male deer this fall.
Maybe City Hall should have “The Talk” with a wildlife biologist first.
“This proposal has no chance of success whatsoever,” said Dr. Paul Curtis, a Cornell University deer expert.
You see, Mr. Mayor, when a boy deer loves a girl deer very, very much . . .
In reality, female white-tailed deer go into heat in the autumn rutting season. They emit a powerful scent that attracts males, who chase them and battle each other until every last doe is pregnant. Normally, the rut lasts a month or two.
But with bucks shooting blanks, the does will go into heat repeatedly throughout the fall and winter. They would become “buck magnets,” according to a Cornell study.
“Every 30 days or so for up to six months, right into March,” said Dr. Bob Warren of The Deer Laboratory at the University of Georgia.
The hot-to-trot does could attract bucks from near and far for many more months — including still-potent potential mates swimming over from New Jersey.
I used to live near an Air National Guard base with huge herds of deer. Hundreds could be seen at a time.
A large local park had the same problem. The park kept talking about contraceptives and other such stupid stuff and dithered for years before finally holding a short archery season.
On the other hand, the deer at the air base just suddenly ceased to be a problem cause there were almost none left one morning.
How the heck do you trap a deer?
I have NEVER heard of a deer trap.
How about a bear trap hidden in your hostas? Might take off a leg but it would at least slow them down 25%!
It’s an island for crying out loud..
All it would take to solve the problem is determination.
He's libtard enough to go for it.
After all - He bought the vasectomy plan, didn't he?
That could create quite an employment boom for iron workers, welders and padlock salesmen.
Oh, brother. Just leave ‘em a dish of condoms. It’s no less stupid, but at least it’s a lot less work.
I’m an old ag livestock guy and also a hunter and I agree
with you. Those city people dealing with this and/or
the media may be confusing vasectomy and castration which
should scare the hell out of all of us male types.
I live in the middle of a forest which includes, cedar,
ponderosa pine, white oak, live oak, sugar pine,
manzanita, poison oak, and fir. I have woods 360 degrees
around my house. I often feed peanuts to the deer. Last
year this one doe walked up the gravel road to the
edge of my driveway. She was looking real bad, really
beat-up. I asked, “What happened to you”?. She replied,
“That’s the last time I’ll do anything like that for
three bucks”!
this thread has possibilities
At least the married ones are being spared.
Basically, the females will remain in heat until bred and that will keep the boys in a longer rut.
Culling is the only solution. Let bow hunters in for a quiet 1 week hunt.
It’d much cheaper and more effective (and far tastier) to just eat the bucks.
too many deer..... introduce wolves
no wolves......issue hun ting permits
Same way you humanely trap most animals - a cage with bait
“bow hunt”
And the first hiker or dog that gets shot will sue the city for millions
you never bow hunted before
plus dogs can’t sue
I lived in rural PA and bow hunted before so I know some people should not be allowed to hunt in that area. I’ve been there many times and these aren’t your typical woods.
It is a few slivers of protected woodland surrounded by densely populated areas from where people walk their dogs all day. Often without leashes.
As soon as some pantywaist’s “emotional support” dog gets shot in front of them, they will declare a disability and sue the city for millions
Isn’t there some Psych ward in a New York Hospital, where the Mayor could get some “help!” Methinks that this may be his “cry for help.”
Any good hunter worth their salt, should be able to identify their prey at 20 yards. A big difference between a dog and a deer and if you can’t tell the difference at 20-30 yards, maybe you should not be hunting.
And of course if hunting is going on in a certain area, people should be notified to stay out of that particular forest/park until it is over with. That would just make sense.
Not everyone is a good hunter. Some people even go out drunk and/or high. No big deal in deep woods but this is basically in a city.
“And of course if hunting is going on in a certain area, people should be notified to stay out of that particular forest/park until it is over with. That would just make sense.”
Even if you did ban people from going inside, thousands of people have homes with backyards in these woods and you can’t kick them out.
This is a unique situation and the only way to reduce their numbers is to trap them. If you want to hunt, drive 1 hour west to PA where there are plenty of deep woods
IMO, the homeowners surrounding the woods should be allowed to trap and get a bounty from the city. Far cheaper than letting the gubmint do some make-work program
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
