The "Management" of Deer

Back to the hunting topic we go. Doris Lin, of the About.com blog on animal rights, has written a detailed, well-researched piece titled "How Are Deer Managed by State Wildlife Agencies?" And we all should read it. Think that hunting is all about reducing deer populations? What if you learned that state wildlife agencies actually work to keep deer populations high--for the benefit of hunters who want to kill the deer and for the financial incentives involved for the state?

Most people think of wildlife management agencies as serving the ecosystem, interfering minimally and mainly to preserve wildlife. These agencies do have programs to protect endangered species and to protect habitat in general. But instead of managing wildlife solely for the optimal health of the ecosystem, state wildlife management agencies also manage wildlife for recreation. The agencies have a financial incentive to do so.

Deer as a Resource
To these agencies, deer are a resource, not sentient beings with their own inherent rights. The resource must be conserved, or used wisely, so that there will be plenty of deer for future generations of hunters. As a result, deer management is usually designed to keep the deer population high. . . .

Financial Incentives
Most people find it incredible that their state wildlife management agencies are trying to keep deer populations high when so many residents complain that there are too many deer, but the agencies have financial incentives for pleasing hunters. The agencies depend on sales of hunting licenses for their funding, and hunters like a high deer population. . . .

Also, the federal Pittman-Robertson Act gives money from the excise taxes on sales of guns and ammunition to state wildlife agencies to increase wildlife populations. . . .

How Do The Agencies Increase the Deer Popuation?
To increase the deer population, sections of forest in state wildlife management areas are clear-cut, to create the "edge habitat" that is preferred by deer. . . .

State wildlife management lands are also sometimes leased to farmers, and the farmers are required to plant deer-preferred crops and leave a certain amount of their crops standing so that the deer will be fed and reproduce more. Sometimes, the state wildlife management agencies will plant "deer mix" themselves, to increase the deer population.

Read on at About.com for the details and evidence.