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Re: Deer management plan - Rock Creek Park

From:

Mike Burchett

Reply-To:

Mike Burchett

Date:

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:37:41 -0400

Now only if we can get some of these sharpshooters to set up shop on 
Assateague to deal with the wild pony outbreak!

Save the birds,
Mike Burchett
Churchville, MD

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Hoff" <>
To: <>
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 10:24 AM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Deer management plan - Rock Creek Park


> Though I suspect Norm will end this debate shortly, and rightly so, I
> feel an obligation to point out that Ellen and Dave's perspective is by
> no means shared by all of us. I would simply ask that we think carefully
> about whether our love for birds should cause us to kill other wildlife
> whose browsing impacts are the direct result of state wildlife
> mismanagement and the unwillingness of our own species to limit its
> impact on natural areas. Let's address the real problem, not the
> symptom.  'nuff said.   Chris Hoff
>
>
>
>  From:       "CURSON, David" <>
>
>  To:         
>
>  Date:       07/10/2009 09:21 AM
>
>  Subject:    Re: [MDOSPREY] Deer management plan - Rock Creek Park
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Ellen,
>
> Thanks for posting this. Overbrowsing by deer is one of the greatest
> threats to forest-interior songbirds in Maryland and I would encourage
> birders to submit comments and support the preferred alternative of a
> deer cull. This support will be needed to counter the outcry from many
> people who don't understand the need for deer control or who just don't
> like the idea of implementing it.
>
> Do you know when the deadline for comments is?
>
> Dave
>
> David Curson, PhD
> Director of Bird Conservation,
> Audubon Maryland-DC
> Tel: (410) 558 2473
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
> Behalf Of Tim Boucher
> Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 8:04 AM
> To: 
> Subject: [MDOSPREY] Deer management plan - Rock Creek Park
>
> I hope this topic is suitable for MdOsprey and if not, apologies to
> Norm. I'll understand if it is removed.
>
> Rock Creek Park has published a notice of the availability of a draft
> Environmental Statement for its deer management plan. Details below.
>
> I post this for two reasons:
>
> 1. The preferred alternative will have some impact on birding, in that
> the use of sharp shooters mandates the temporary closure of some parts
> of the park. Typically, sharp-shooters are deployed at night and into
> the early morning.
>
> 2. Every time a county or park tries to do something to reduce deer
> herds, there is a huge public outcry. If you support the park's plan -
> and I am not telling anyone that they should or shouldn't - but IF you
> do, please take the time to comment.
>
> To be honest, though, I will say that it is my opinion that the
> preferred alternative should be supported, for lots of reasons, but for
> the reason relative to birds - the need to protect understory habitat,
> which is really gone throughout most of the park.
>
> Immunocontraceptives are typically ineffective in open populations, and
> it is very hard to imagine that the NPS generally or the Rock Creek Park
> has enough funding for expensive exclosures - very high fences that also
> serve to keep birders out. We already have lethal control -
> unintentional though it may be - in the form of vehicles.
>
> Ellen Paul
> Chevy Chase MD
>