And this annoying little shithead...
Posted on 02/25/2026 11:01:21 AM PST by Olog-hai
Catalina Island conservationists are moving forward with an extensive plan to preserve the island’s native habitat after the state recently approved the lethal shooting of the invasive mule deer on the island.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved the Catalina Island Conservancy’s restoration management permit in late January. […]
Mule deer were introduced to the island in the early 1920s as a game species for hunting by the state. Island conservationists say the deer, which fluctuate in numbers between 500 and 1,800, have no natural predators and are destroying native vegetation found only on the island. They also say deer on the island are suffering from thirst and starvation, as they are much smaller than those living on the mainland.
The conservancy’s plan to shoot the deer from the air, using helicopters, was shut down in 2024 after residents voiced concerns of bullets raining down and rotting deer carcasses that would be left behind.
Alternative plans to control the island’s mule deer population included fencing them in, relocating the deer, introducing predators and sterilization. …
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Yeah, government bureaucracy at its finest
Wrigley, the chewing gum baron, owned much of the island, but everything I see online says that the state introduced the deer. The Bison were brought there for a movie.
Sounds like they have learned fro Arizona’s screw up 100 years ago on the north of the Grand Canyon.
https://www.scribd.com/doc/314912202/the-lesson-of-the-kaibab-carrying-capacity-1
Wrigley, yes that is who it was not Rockefeller.
Alternative plans to control the island’s population included fencing them in, relocating them, introducing predators and sterilization. …
Sounds like the leftist’s plans for us.
Just put a few mountain lions or wolf packs on the island, they’ll balance things out.
If they have been there over a hundred years, I wonder how much of the native species is actually left?
“For ‘can’t’, read ‘won’t’.”
Bad part is that they are killing less than 1800 animals rather than relocate them to the mainland. It isn’t like the endeavor is going to be a huge operation. And with the lessoning of the herds on the mainland, it would be very profitable and help maintain the species. Common sense, again in California, was tossed out the window.
wy69
The last I knew thre was still a herd of about 150 buffalo on Catalina that were brought there 100 years ago by a movie studio that was filming western cowboy movies on Catalina.
Thos buffalo are certainly not part of the “native habitat”.
cJust Google: “atalina island buffalo herd”
The Mule Deer population increase sounds like Evolution.
We should love and hearald it.
Mule deer are the best eating of all the deer. They’re big, heavy muscled and if properly handled, can be easily thought to be beef, but richer, more flavorful. My husband and I cooked a whole rump for a large gathering. One man there from Boston insisted it was the best roast beef he’d ever eaten. He refused to believe it was venison!
Elk is even better.
It looks now like the state only okayed bringing the deer to the island back in the 20s, so yes, Wrigley or somebody else probably brought them there for hunting. Whether the bison really came there with a movie crew, the nature conservancy founded by Wrigley has been keeping an eye on them.
If you ever visit the islands in Casco Bay, ME. Off of Portland. You will see all these primarily seasonal homes that are all very close together.
Lots of summer rentals.
Many have to put up deer fencing because if they do not the deer eat all their flowers and any vegetables they plant on these small lots. The deer swam over to those islands. They are close to shore.
Over on the seacoast of NH in the town of Rye the cottontail rabbits have become so numerable that they also have to net any flowers planted around their houses. These are multi million dollar houses within a stones throw from the Atlantic. Most are not rentals. The bunnies are not afraid of people. My son rented there for a couple years. I had rabbits that hopped by me within 4’ and paid no attention.
Again, this is a place the houses are so close together you really can’t hunt. Also, there are not a lot of coyote in this area to keep the rabbit population in check.
NH Fish and Game actually reintroduced the Eastern Cottontail into southern NH to have a natural prey species for the coyote, fisher and bobcats. I have them in my back yard all the time. I am about 60 miles inland. There are predators in my area.
Now, we need something to kill the turkeys. They are everywhere. Too many now. Although they are actually good to have around. They eat thousands of ticks and grubs.
The problem with that is when all the deer are gone the lions will start hunting house cats, small dogs and eventually small children. Which is already happening on the mainland in California.
Balance of nature.
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