Posted on 04/24/2018 5:22:08 AM PDT by SJackson
Edited on 04/24/2018 8:59:42 AM PDT by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
Researchers examining forests in northern Wisconsin say Native American reservations have older trees and better plant diversity and tree regeneration than surrounding state or national forests.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
They've [deer] decimated the understory, cover and diversity in many areas, including those state parks that banned hunting for many yearsTribes typically harvest deer at higher rates, said Jonathan Gilbert, director of the Biological Services Division with the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.
"It's their cultural regulations that permit this. Tribal members are out harvesting deer for food primarily,"
Longer season, night hunting, baiting appear to be good for the forests and reduce global warming.
Man is part of the balance of nature and man has been hunting deer ever since there have been deer on God’s green earth. Take that hunting out of the equation and you get unintended consequences.
The increased deer cull likely cuts down on ticks and consequent Lyme disease as well.
So, it’s not a good idea to replace forests with pavement and eucalyptus trees?
Minnesota has a serious deer overpopulation problem, due largely in part to its short (1 week in some areas) hunting season. Not only does this cause changes in forest ecosystems, but also damage to farms and a high number of vehicle - deer collisions. But the lefties in the Twin Cities think hunting and guns are evil, don’t kill Bambi.
If you want to see how deer screw up a woods just take a drive to the UP and look at a class a hardwoods. No regeneration at all. Looks just like a park.
So, their idea was to transplant Moose which are even worse.
There are so many deer in Wisconsin that the grouse and partridge (ground nesting birds) can no longer hatch out a clutch without being stomped on.
Anybody from Wisconsin care to comment ?
White tailed deer = rats with antlers.
“Take that hunting out of the equation and you get unintended consequences.”....
I live in central Wisconsin immediately adjacent to a Federal Wildlife Reserve which at one time was known for outstanding wildlife management and abundant deer populations. A few years back, the Fed’s decided that due to possible grey wolves extinction, a wolf reintroduction program was implemented with the cry “Save The Wolves” loudly proclaimed. Being very territorial, today there are 3 known wolf pacts, each with an estimated 7 to 9 wolves within each pack living in or on the 175,000 acre reserve, not to mention the several thousands of acres surrounding the refuge. A single wolf will eat one deer every 17 days. Today, that same wildlife reserve has the LEAST deer population in the entire State of Wisconsin. Simply, if you want to reduce your deer herd, just introduce wolves and your problem will be solved. The locals here have a saying many of us have heard, “Shoot, shovel and shut up”.
“The lower population of whitetail deer on reservations may contribute to the diversity.”......
Read Post 11.
I would guess that on tribal lands, there aren’t nearly as many other restrictions on what people can or can’t do in the forest. Deer have a huge impact, yes, but so does wildcrafting and other human activities. When done right, these can result in a healthier forest, which in turn means better harvests for years to come.
In one of my wilderness survival classes, the instructor showed us an area where the forest on one side was being cared for by students and interns at the school, while the other side was being left alone. The side being cared for was strong and healthy, with an abundance of wildlife and a wide range of plants at all levels. Every tree and bush had birds in it. The side that was left alone was so overgrown even the deer couldn’t get through it. Even though the branches were twisted in ways that looked easy to nest in, there were no bird nests in sight. There were areas where the plants were diseased, and the soil even smelled wrong, like it had gone anaerobic.
Humans can do in 5 minutes what takes nature 100 years. Whether that’s good or bad depends on the skill and knowledge of the person taking the action.
My forest is still healthy but, thanks to the introduction of the fishers (animal) my grouse have been decimated.
Lots of wolves now.
Just data, no conclusion. Old farmer friend up there blames the DNR for both the wolves and the fishers.
If you want deer, come hunt the Minneapolis suburbs, especially around bird/deer feeders.
I moved to Wisconsin from Illinois over a year ago. In Wisconsin, it is colder with more trees.
However, the two weeks of summer here are very nice.
Yes, but watch your pets and small children. The mosquitoes are large enough to carry them off ...
Common sense, I suppose given the name. But Lyme is carried by rodents and birds, still lots of them. And medically, both the diagnosis and tracking of "victims" is questionable. The good news, my dogs are vaccinated. Me, I had 2 of the three shots decades ago, who knows. I wonder about the statistics on harvest as well. I'm not suggesting poaching, but in Wisconsin tribal members enjoy an extended season but not confined to reservations or tribal land. It extends to a wide swath of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota based on treaties from the 1830s and 1840s. Who knows where tribal members are hunting. If there are more deer on non-tribal public lands, I know where I'd be hunting. It's a big fishing issue too.
Only have to look at Isle Royale to see what moose do to the forest, in the absence of adequate predators.
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