Posted on 08/03/2014 11:20:47 AM PDT by ckilmer
Civil War battlefields may soon light up with gunfire once again if a new plan to "reduce" deer populations gets approved. The US National Parks Service has proposed a $1.8 million plan to hire sharpshooters to hunt and kill white-tailed deer at three Civil War battlefields over the next five years.
Deer populations at the Antietam and Monocacy battlefields, located in Maryland, as well as the Manassas battlefield in Virginia, are far above desired levels. The public is prohibited from hunting on the parkland, and populations have reached as high as 230 deer per square mile at Monocacy. The Parks Service hopes to bring those numbers down to 15 or 20 per square mile, reports the Associated Press.
The proposed plan would call for a maximum of 2,800 deer to be killed over the next five years. Once populations are brought to an acceptable level, the Parks Service hopes to use chemical contraceptives to maintain the herds' numbers. Why all the bloodshed? The Parks Service says that the large deer populations are damaging flora and the agency's efforts to preserve the historical sites. A public review period extends until September 3rd, at which time the agency will decide whether it will go through with the plan.
Deer Sausage in Chili is awesome!!
From what I heard, the deer population reached a LOW during 1932.
The great depression.
(not the greatest YET!)
Well there you have why not just re-create the Civil War Battle and start shooting? “Ooops that a deer, o well”
The US Department of the Inferior once again demonstrates why it is so named.
ParcMan, little smarter than when he starred in the video titled Big Park (Google it - you will love “Big Park”), wants to spend 1.8 million dollars of our money to have deer shot.
Hunters would do it for free and buy licenses as well.
That was my first thought. Wonder which Chicago hunting group will get the contract? LOL
Probably true.
I live in a wooded area in NJ. Horse farms, farms, remotely populated. There are actually large tracts of NJ that has a country living style.
I have at least three families of deer living nearby. One family has two albinos,mostly white with just a few shades of brown. Yearlings, I think. I think they look terrific!
But a man's gotta eat.
It is customary to pay the landowner for allowing you to hunt on his property, or barter something, unless he/she offers to let you hunt for free. It is the way a lot of ranchers out here make a little extra money during deer season.
I could hunt free on my family’s ranch-my cousin gave me a standing invitation-but that is a couple hundred miles away-not at all convenient. A little money paid to hunt within 20 miles is cheaper pound per pound than beef at the supermarket, and the meat is natural, too.
I think the albino deer originally came from a small population in a state park in central NY.
I actually saw a big buck (white tail) here last spring!
Spunked the heck out of me, cause we usually have only mule deer.
Do you live in a city where not too many people ever go hunting?
That is not a bad price for a hands-on firearms course. If you hold the rifle properly into your shoulder, have a good recoil pad on the stock, etc the recoil is not a huge deal. My hunting rifle is a 270 bolt action, but my first husband had a 308 that had more recoil-the barrel was a bit shorter.
I’m fortunate to have been brought up in the country-we all learned to shoot at an early age, both for food and for our own protection-I taught my cub the same.
That's interesting. Any more info on that?
I just thought it was a deer's way of protesting for reverse discrimination.
Are these battlefields owned by organizations like Daughters of the Republic or whatever?
That's for sure. Why don't they get hold of Ted Nugent? He and some of his buddies would bring their bows and arrows and likely do it for free -- and then donate the meat to local food banks. Win-win all the way around. But noooooo, that's too logical for the government.
“$1.8 Million Dollars is not a lot of money for a government run program.”
I think you took a left turn back there by the tree of liberty.
I have no idea-I’ve never lived in Maryland or Virginia, and I’ve only hunted on public land in NM, where my first husband was from.
I have seen small deer running around here in the mornings once in a while. So I know they are out there.
I think way back someone should have put aside land near each town as a game reserve. lol
Better to shoot, dress the deer, put it in the freezer, and then shut up.
Why spend any taxpayers’ money at all?? Those deer are so tame they’re sitting ducks. Just conduct a lottery for deer licenses, stage a hnting season, and reduce the herd that way. A win for everybody.
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