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BakeBeginning7863 OP t1_iymkozb wrote

Reply to comment by PoisonMind in High amounts of deer on trails? by BakeBeginning7863

Excellent response. So are you saying hunting replaces the lack of natural predators in this environment? And also, what is the problem with additional deer in the area?

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PoisonMind t1_iymldcg wrote

I don't think hunting is nearly popular enough to replace the lack of natural predators, but every bit helps.

The problem with deer overpopulation is that it prevents forest regeneration, which leads you get soil erosion, which allows for more runoff, which leads to polluted water, and it also helps invasive species proliferate (because deer don't eat those). It's all sorts of bad news for the local ecology.

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Lenchantin1 t1_iynjcrq wrote

That's exactly right. In addition to this, the deer population continues to rise and their isn't enough habitat to support them. Consequently, many of them will starve and become susceptible to a disease that easily spreads within the herd. It's all kind of bad news when deer overpopulate an area. Much of it also has to do with development encroaching on their habitat. Hunting is essential to keeping the herd numbers in check. In areas where the people have voted down such opportunities for bow hunters, snipers are hired to shoot them at night in local parks. They are expensive and paid by our tax dollars.

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