The Potomac Highlands Watershed School 

High School Environmental Forum

Homeowner POV

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Homowners  HHS, AdvEarthSci 1st Block

Amanda, Heather, Miguel, Bobby  VERSION 2: 10/31/05

We feel as representatives of the Homeowners, that we have an over populated source of deer. Not only have deer caused nearly 100 deaths, nation wide, but 10,000 injuries as well, not to mention this was only in the year of 2003, what will happen in the year 2006? Just in the state of West Virginia, there is a deer depredation at a high-value of agriculture (crops) in value is it $208,743. That’s only in West Virginia alone. There are a total of 94,347,840 in only thirteen northeastern states in the years of 1994-2000. According to the National Safety Council report, the average cost per insurance claim for collision damage is $2,800 with the varying. We also have communities putting hundreds of dollars into the nursery stock, commercial and residential landscaping. But now, there is a high value in damage in all these areas and there is not insurance on our landscapes. The landscaping around our communities and residential area people are using an integrated approach of repelling and/ or restricting deer access if the most effective method to reducing damage. Communities are now starting to complain more, now residents and some National Safety Council members are starting to get together and make more ideas beside this repellant. Some people are suggesting that we should have more hunting seasons. But, what will that help when more people are just scaring them in to the highways or the meadow areas. Others are suggesting that tranquilizers will help prevent deer from over populating because they will tranquilize them and relocate them to a more natural area where there are less roadways and communities gardens and landscaping. We feel as the representatives of the homeowners that tranquilizing the deer and relocating wouldn’t solve the problem, but help reduce in numbers the accidents and damage to the landscaping people put so much money into. If we were to put no limit on deer seasons we feel that the deer population would be drastically reduced. We feel that is the best solution to our problem.

 

Homeowners Position on Deer Overpopulation

Jasmine, Pete HHS,  Block 3 APES   VERSION 2: 10/31/05

 

The exponential growth of deer populations the United States has led many citizens to view deer overpopulation as damage on the land that needs to be eliminated as effectively as possible. Within the last view decades, the deer population has exploded into huge numbers as 30 million nationwide. Deer feed upon a variety of mast, succulent fruits, herbs, grass, twigs, and leaves of woody plants, and fungi, depending on the season and location. If the deer population is not managed, the deer will exceed the available supply of food. Deer overpopulation stresses the land and also results in unnatural stress on an entire herd. With the overpopulation of deer they are many car accidents involving the deer running out into the road. With an overpopulation of deer, they need more food to stay healthy and alive. The deer will go to landowners land and eat the food in their gardens, the fruits on their trees, such as grapes on the grape vine. Some landowners cannot afford to put a fence around their whole garden to keep the deer out. Some people may place dogs in an area where their garden is, but that will not eliminate the whole problem. If the deer do get in the garden, they will eat as much food as they can eat. It takes a lot to grow a garden; time and money are put in the growing of a decent garden. If the deer do get passed the dog or if you have nothing there, the whole garden will be eaten. The corn, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes, etc. will all be eaten out of the garden by the many deer that will feed there. If the deer know there is food they will keep coming back everyday for a meal. Another reason why the overpopulation of deer in our area is an issue is the deer are always running across the road and getting hit by cars. There are many deaths a year, ther are at least 100 deaths. If these numbers keep increasing what will the totals be in a few years or decades? When the deer hit cars it causes a lot of damage. The car must be repaired and is usually very expensive. Also, some insurance companies raise the insurance if your car is hit by a lot of deer. With so many deer they are running and searching for food to eat. They cross roads to get into fields to find something to eat. In the dark of night I would be driving down the road and so many deer just cross in front of me. Sometimes there is more than one. There can be up to five or ten deer crossing at a time. This is very dangerous for people driving on the road at night. people can get seriously injuried from accidents involving deer. The medical expenses would be extremely high or low depending on how bad the accident was. The Homeowners position on the overpopulation of deer in the area is we need to do something to control their population. The deer are eating the homeowner’s gardens. The homeowners put a lot of time and money into their gardens. If the garden does not fully develop because of the deer eating them, the people have nothing to eat. The deer also run in the road in front of cars way too much. There are too many wrecks with deer. The damage costs are extremely high for the owners of the vehicle, because they must repair the damage. Also, with people insurance is increasing, because of hitting too many deer a year. It takes away from other costs that the family may need more. If a a person gets into a car accident involving a deer, the injuries could be very serious.

 

Homeowner,  Sammy, APES, Berkeley Springs High School, Submitted 11/7/05

 

Although deer problems in West Virginia are not as high as many other states, deer overpopulation has become a large problem for many different kinds of people, whether they know it or not.  Homeowners, in particular, are affected by the overpopulation of deer and the problems that they bring to both them and their land.

            One such problem that homeowners face with deer overpopulation is the transmission of Lyme Disease.  This disease, which is transferred by ticks that survive on the deer, is very harmful to humans and causes many deaths per year.  The overpopulation of deer will logically lead to an increased population of deer ticks that have an increased chance of carrying Lyme Disease. This is one of the direct problems deer impose upon humans by reproducing freely without fear of any natural predators.

            Another problem, which is not so direct, is that the more deer there are, the more they will eat as a species.  This means that the forest floor, where they feed, is under constant devastation.  The things deer feed on: nuts, berries, ferns are all essential parts of the forest ecosystem.  Deer overpopulation can inadvertently affect populations of many other animals that feed off the forest floor such as squirrels and songbirds, not directly affecting you, but disrupting the balance of trade in the forest and eventually causing barren lands with much less vegetation and life.  This is a big problem for farmers above all others because the last thing they need is malnourished and nutrient deficient land which commonly results from over population.

            If you are worried about the overpopulation of deer near your home, then there are a number of things that you can do.  Hunting is one of them.  This is one of the more common ways to control deer population, whether the intention is so or not.  If hunting is not for you, fencing your property, placing deer repellants, or even planting trees that are less favorable to deer are all options to keep the deer population in your area to a minimum.

The O'Neal School, environmental science, homeowner, group2, Posted 11/08/2005

I believe that there are entirely to many deer. please kill them all. i need the hunters to start hunting more often. you killin me your really killin me. all of my roses are being eaten by these punk @#$3 deer. who is going to help me in my adventure to kill out all the deer. i am quiet frustrated. my dandy lions are now extinct in my back yard due to the white tailed deer who laughs in my face when i get angry at him. these deer are smarter than we think. If we think about it the deer are taking the things we love including family, space, food, and our flowers. personally i could never kill a deer but i could hire somebody to do it for me. now deer are beautiful to look at through a rifle scope but after that they are only good in my stomach and on my wall. please dont take me wrong when i say this but it is the truth that some people wont say. but to think about it this way makes our life much easier to get done the things we need to get done. for those who disagree please write me back and i will expound my thoughts with more clarity.