South Carolina Ping
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Posted on 05/02/2008 1:01:13 PM PDT by neverdem
McClatchy Newspapers
State legislators are stepping into the arena of reproductive law again in a bid to regulate the use of birth control - on deer.
The House passed a bill Wednesday that makes it illegal to use fertility control agents or chemical substances on deer and other wildlife without a permit from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Violators could face a fine of up to $2,500 and two years in prison. The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by governor to become law.
Permits would be eligible for scientific research or for wildlife management as approved by the department, the bill states.
Charles Ruth, a department wildlife biologist who supervises deer and turkey projects statewide, said the bill is intended to reinforce a practice already in place but not codified in law. It would also keep wildlife contraceptives from being used "willy-nilly."
Contraceptives that target mammals like deer are particularly worrisome.
"People are mammals. There are possibilities of nontarget effects," Ruth said. "What we're trying to [ensure] is in the event some of these substances are put on the market that they are used appropriately and by responsible and trained individuals."
Deer contraceptives are in use with the blessing of the Department of Natural Resources on Fripp Island as part of a five-year study.
Donations from Fripp Island property owners partially pay for the $170,000 study, which serves as an alternative to the professional culling several gated communities in southern Beaufort County use to thin deer populations, also a process that requires permits from the Department of Natural Resources.
Other than Fripp Island, the only permit the department issued for deer contraceptives went to Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, though the nonlethal effort to reduce deer population in the community fizzled with a failed lawsuit. A community management company wanted to kill about 200 deer in the late-1990s, which a community group objected to and contested in court.
The department issued about 14 permits for deer culling in the past decade, Ruth said, almost all to gated communities in southern Beaufort County. In those instances, deer were baited to carefully selected open spaces, where a sharpshooter waited.
Allen Rutberg, an assistant professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University who is involved in the Fripp Island study, has been following the bill. He said it is reasonable, though he took issue with an amendment the House committee added Tuesday.
"Preference must be given to hunting as the primary method of controlling wildlife before a fertility control agent or a chemical substance is utilized," the amendment states.
"I think that localities should be able to choose whatever means is most appropriate for them, rather than state law pushing them to do whatever may not be suitable," Rutberg said.
For example, Fripp Island's limited open space and somewhat dense housing would not be appropriate for hunting with firearms for safety reasons, he said. Bow hunting would be too cumbersome to significantly reduce the deer population and, in his opinion, inhumane.
In his study, female deer on Fripp Island are tranquilized with blow darts powered by compressed gas, then tagged and injected with chemical contraceptives.
The Fripp Island study primarily is funded by the Humane Society of the United States. Rutberg estimated the deer population at 400 when the study began in 2004. Recent counts aren't available, but the deer population has fallen to a level homeowners are generally more comfortable with, said Kate Hines, general manager of the Fripp Island Property Owners Association.
© 2008 MyrtleBeachOnline.com
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Excellent.......LOL !
I’d hate to be the one to break it to the deer.
What about the Catholic deer?
But what about the deer’s right to choose? Aren’t we taking away their fundamental reproductive rights? Where are the deer feminists on this?
...but condoms are still OK?
Only if you put them on ‘em.
Works in my neck of the woods.
Concerning laws against feeding game meat to the needy, the Bambi-worshippers in some states have persuaded local health departments to ban game meat donations because it’s unregulated, uninspected, unethical, uncontrolled, etc.
In that case, laws banning local tightenings of state law should be brought to bear.
South Carolina Ping
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“Other than Fripp Island, the only permit the department issued for deer contraceptives went to Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island,”
Not surprising since as this is a liberal Yankee conclave. These people are anti-hunting, including bow-hunting, resulting in highway 278 being deer central after dark.
Other than the areas mentioned the hunters shoot them as fast as they can aim. I believe Hampton, County has the longest deer season in the country.
Just when you thought that ethanol would be the last stupid thing that your tax dollars would be wasted on...
I had not heard that. What states are doing this?
Actually, IIRC, the PETA types go to the soup kitchens and warn them that they will be sued if a patron becomes sick after they had accepted game meat.
(Worthless PETA b@stards!)
the venison & pork given to the truly needy (and there ARE a lot of TRULY needy in our area.)is well-received & a HELP to numerous families.
last year, in our county alone, over 10,ooo pounds of meat was donated to the hungry.
free dixie,sw
PETA harasses everyone ... that is their goal. But that is vastly different from state government requiring local health departments to ban donations of game meat, as you originally stated.
My family doesn't belong to one of those groups, but we have provided meat to many a family in our area and they are always very pleased.
free dixie,sw
free dixie,sw
OK, I’m not aware that any state has actually banned the donation of game meat, but I have heard it proposed in our state assembly (SC), by the usual suspects.
It represents just another backdoor approach to changing the culture and banning hunting altogether.
Several deer processing operations here in North Alabama will process for free any deer donated to charity.
free dixie,sw
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