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Killing more deer is not the answer

5K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  critter gitter 
#1 ·
I've been reading this site for many months now and thought I would contribute an article I just read on preventing lime disease through deer hunting. It's an opinion piece I found at newstimes.com that I don't really agree with. I'll let you read it and tell me what you think.

Letter: Killing more deer is not the answer


Article Last Updated: 03/31/2008 06:15:32 AM EDT

The Connecticut legislature will soon be voting on HB 5852 (An Act Concerning the Control of Lyme Disease). It would greatly expand deer hunting, under the guise of preventing Lyme disease.
Advocates for killing deer to "eradicate" Lyme disease are using outdated information. A simplistic deer-mouse-Lyme disease computer model from the early 1990s has been repudiated by several peer-reviewed researchers. They now recognize that the Lyme disease vector is extremely complex with many variables.
ä The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies has found that fragmentation of the forest by land development reduces vertebrate biodiversity. As a result, risk of human exposure to Lyme disease infected ticks is increased.
ä Climate change has amplified the incidence of vector-borne diseases, including Lyme disease. The World Health Organization found that climate change since the mid-1970s has significantly impacted human health throughout the planet. Lyme disease was first diagnosed in Connecticut during that time period.
ä Entomologists from Cornell's Long Island Horticulture Research and Extension Center concluded that reducing deer on islands does not eliminate ticks. Studies on Shelter Island, where hunting has gone on for years, have shown no reduction of Lyme disease. In fact, Lyme incidence in Suffolk County has almost doubled between 2003 and 2005. DEP and Department of Health 2006 data show there is no relationship between deer numbers and Lyme disease rates.

ä Fairfield County: deer density of 29.4 per square mile; Lyme disease incidence rate is 40 cases per 100,000 population.
ä Windham County: deer density of 28.7 per square mile; Lyme disease incidence rate is 135 cases per 100,000 population.
Contrary to the assertions of deer-killing proponents, more deer equaling more Lyme disease is false.
Tell your state representatives that HB 5852 should reflect real scientific methods for combating Lyme disease, and not expanded hunting.
Lynn M. Gorfinkle REDDING

I think it would certainly help along with over population, deer/car accidents, etc. This debate reminds me of the baiting deer controversy, in relation to trying to stop disease. What do ya'll think about this opinion piece?
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
I guess i don't know all the details, but it could be they ae just attacking the lyme disease problem from all angles, and killing more deer just happens to be one of the angles. I would think/hope they aren't ignorant enough to believe that this will completely eradicate the problem.
 
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