School: North Harford High School/  Class: Enviro II/ 
Teacher: O'Leary/ 
POV Group Name: Team Happy Wolf  

Date: 11/10/2006/  Time: 11:29 AM

As representatives of PETA, we believe that to solve the problem of deer overpopulation, the introduction of key predators could be utilized. These solutions would be much more effective and humane than hunting. Many animals suffer prolonged, painful deaths when they are injured but not killed by hunters. The Maine Bow Hunters Alliance estimated that 50% of animals shot with crossbows are wounded but not killed. That is a lot of animal suffering! “Hunting disrupts migration and hibernation patterns and destroys families. For animals like wolves, who mate for life and live in close-knit family units, hunting can devastate entire communities. The stress that hunted animals suffer—caused by fear and the inescapable loud noises and other commotion that hunters create—also severely compromises their normal eating habits, making it hard for them to store the fat and energy that they need in order to survive the winter.” (peta.org). Introducing wolves and placing laws to protect them from hunters would be a natural way to control the deer population and keep it within the carrying capacity of the environment. The wolves, mountain lions, and other predators that we introduce to the area would kill only the sick and weak individuals, which would keep the ecosystem balanced. “Starvation and disease can be tragic, but they are nature’s ways of ensuring that healthy, strong animals survive and maintain the strength level of the rest of their herd or group. Shooting an animal because he or she might starve or become sick is arbitrary and destructive.” (peta.org). Therefore, hunting should not be an option for population control. YAY WOLVES!! BOOO HUNTERS!!!

Thoughtful Questions

From: Hunter/  Class_Name: 1st Block Enviromental Science/ 
Teacher: Mr. Moore/  School: Hampshire High School/ 
Monday, November 13, 2006/  Time: 08:25 AM

You say that the predators will only take out the sick and weak individuals. How do you propose that we would keep these predators away from farm animals and humans? Why do you think we eliminated these animals in the first place? Dont you think its more humane to kill the deer with a gun shot than to chase it down and tear it apart? Do you see any room for hunters or are you opposed to all hunting?

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From:Enviromental Science block 4/ 

Teacher: Mr. Moore/ 

Date: 11/13/2006/  Time: 02:12 PM

You have good points but I would like to point out the fact that most wolves hunt in packs. The prey in this case the deer will not die instantly. The anomal is ran down until it is to tierd to run and is finaly cought. Then the animal is attacked by multiple carnivors riping and tearing at the ingerd creacher intil it bleeds t death. After that it is riped apart sometimes still alive. Take it from me I hunt and I have seen a deer ran down and devower it from the back to the front. The deer was trying to get away as they ate it alive. I secided to not let it sufer and shot it wile it was being eaten. Now tell me a hunter is inhumane. So I ask you, Who makes the animal suffer more the peolpe who release animals to brutaly devower a population every time, or a preson who will kill them out right and mabe mess up once and awile. If you choose to let the animals suffer a painful by the hand of another animal who dont care how the animal goes down aslong as they can eat it, dead or alive. Then you are the inhumaine one not the hunter.

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From: The Forest Fighters/  Class_Name: 2nd block/ 
Teacher: Mr. Moore/  School: Hampshire High School/ 
Monday, November 13, 2006/  Time: 10:19 AM

What do you think the wolves will eat after all of the deer are gone? You can't exactly pick all of them back up and take them somewhere else when you are done with them. Another thing to consider is the wolves and mountain lions are not only going to eat just deer, they are going to eat what ever they can get their claws on. After the deer are gone who do you think the wolves, etc. are going to eat next? Besides deer we are the next best thing. And if crossbows are hurting the deer so bad then why don't you just get rid of them and only use rifles capable of taking the deer down right away?

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From: Hunters/  Class_Name: Evironmental Science/ 
Teacher: Mr.Moore/  School: / 
Monday, November 13, 2006/  Time: 01:41 PM

Whats happenes when the wolves become a nusiance and kill farmers animals??? did think about that did you?

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From: Hunters/  Class_Name: Environmental Science/ 
Teacher: Mr.Moore/  School: Hampshire High/ 
Monday, November 13, 2006/  Time: 01:57 PM

what happens when the wolves are a problem!??!??

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Logan  Farmers/Hunter/  School: Hampshire High WV/  Class: Enviromental Science block 4/  Teacher: Mr. Moore/ 

11/13/2006/  Time: 02:12 PM

You have good points but I would like to point out the fact that most wolves hunt in packs. The prey in this case the deer will not die instantly. The anomal is ran down until it is to tierd to run and is finaly cought. Then the animal is attacked by multiple carnivors riping and tearing at the ingerd creacher intil it bleeds t death. After that it is riped apart sometimes still alive. Take it from me I hunt and I have seen a deer ran down and devower it from the back to the front. The deer was trying to get away as they ate it alive. I secided to not let it sufer and shot it wile it was being eaten. Now tell me a hunter is inhumane. So I ask you, Who makes the animal suffer more the peolpe who release animals to brutaly devower a population every time, or a preson who will kill them out right and mabe mess up once and awile. If you choose to let the animals suffer a painful by the hand of another animal who dont care how the animal goes down aslong as they can eat it, dead or alive. Then you are the inhumaine one not the hunter.

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From: Hunter one/  Class_Name: Environmental 2 b4/ 
Teacher: oleary/  School: North Harford High School/ 
Tuesday, November 14, 2006/  Time: 12:39 PM

so what would happen when we go into debt after making all the changes of having groups hunting constantly, and paying everyone??

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From: Hunter one/  Class_Name: Environmental 2 B4/ 
Teacher: Oleary/  School: North Harford/ 
Tuesday, November 14, 2006/  Time: 12:41 PM

how would you convince the government to fund keeping deer out of your county, or the US, when we have much larger things to worry of?

From: Hunters/  Class_Name: 1st Block Environmental Science/ 
Teacher: Mr.Moore/  School: Hampshire High School/ 
Wednesday, November 15, 2006/  Time: 08:21 AM

You say that the deer need management. But you are opposed to all types of hunting. You should check out this site for deer management practices. http://www.wvdnr.gov/Hunting/IntAppDeerCon.shtm

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From: 1st Block Homeowners 6 students/  Class_Name: 1st Block Environmental Science/ 
Teacher: Bill Moore/  School: Hampshire High School/ 
Wednesday, November 15, 2006/  Time: 08:52 AM

If you are for PETA why are you for introducing predators into the rural environment? If you are representing PETA why are you eager to put animals in danger? Predators would not only pose a threat to household pets but also to SMALL CHILDREN!!!! What would make you think that wolves would only prey on the weak and old deer population? Although they would go for the easiest target does not mean that the deer in question would be old or weak. If you have to introduce predators, why would you release wolves and mountain lions? Coyotes would pose the same threat to the deer population but are less aggressive towards the human popultaion.

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From: The Hunter /  Class_Name: Enviromental Science / 
Teacher: Mr.Moore /  School: Hampshire High / 
Thursday, November 16, 2006/  Time: 09:49 AM

PETA, We use those animals for food. I agree that shooting an animal an wounding it is wrong. We shoot to kill. God put those animals on this earth for use to kill and eat. so we think that you all should not judge all hunters. We keep the population down. so whats the big deal about killing them??

School: Hampshire/  Class: Environmental Science/  Teacher: Mr. Moore/ 
POV Group Name: The Others

Date: 11/08/2006/  Time: 01:53 PM

I am a citizen of Hampshire County and my position on all this is... Our county has way to many deer. We can't even drive down the road without a deer running out in the road; I suggest that we demolish the deer population. Deer is only use for a sport for the most part, plus for their hide but with the hide we can make artificial hide. Which is better so that we're not going out just to kill innocent creatures for there hide. Another reason I feel we should get rid of deer is because they're a hazard, there just to stupid to stay out of the road. This is a big problem to me because I hear that people hit deer and die. Plus three fourths the time it's the deers fault. So why keep them. With doing this kind of event I feel it would cost about 20 million for the United States but about 30,000 for Hampshire County plus the cost of keeping them out. I see it as that if we keep them out we'll have less accidents, which cost a lot and add up to a lot. Another way we could get rid of them is let certain people go out in certain groups certain times and kill so many at no cost. Then ever so often have them go out and kill more to eat. With this everyone will get a turn. Plus it's free food and less wrecks. What could be better? In order for my event to happen I would need the permission of the government. This would be hard but in the long run less wrecks because of deer, lower insurance, and a safer ride for our friends and family. I feel it would work great with the government plus the plan of certain groups. I feel the only down fall to this plan is that there will be no beautiful deer as people call them and with no deer there's no deer season. So there will be one less animal in the food chain but there's a lot more to make up for it.

Thoughtful Questions:

From: the homeowner group/  Class_Name: Environmental Science 2/ 
Teacher: Mrs. O'Leary/  School: North Harford High School/ 
Tuesday, November 14, 2006/  Time: 12:35 PM

We moved out in the country for the wildlife and to be closer to nature. If you demolish the deer population then what will people have to marvel at? Also, demolishing the deer population would ruin the balance in the ecosystem, how could you fix that?

Answer: the forest/  Class_Name: 1st environmental/  Teacher: moore/  School: hhs/  Date: Wednesday, November 15, 2006/  Time: 08:30 AM

The deer aren't the only thing to 'marvel' at in nature. Fortunately, there is a lot of diversity in both plants and animals, but the deers' over-population can have negative effects on the rest of the forest. These negative effects include lack of forest regeneration, starvation and disease in the animals, and high amounts of deer related car accidents. By reducing the deer population, we would actually help balance the ecosystem, as their high numbers are currently destroying their own habitat.

Answer: the homeowners/  Class_Name: Environmental Science 2/  Teacher: Mrs. O'Leary/  School: NHHS/  Askee: the forest-1st environmental/  Date: Thursday, November 16, 2006/  Time: 11:10 AM

We're fully aware that deer aren't the only thing to marvel at in nature and we don't think letting them overproduce is good, we know the negative effects they will have on the ecosystem. We were merely commenting on another group's suggestion to demolish the deer population entirely, which would in fact throw the ecosystem out of balance. A lack of deer as well as too many deer can negatively affect the environment.