I am writing this in response to a letter sent to The Morning Star from S. Lighthall.
The deer population has got out of control. We are five minutes to downtown Vernon, and have a herd of 22 does chewing their way through our garden. The neighbours are annoyed because their plants are being eaten, things damaged and dogs stomped on.
They are talking about cross-bows, because we are in city limits.
We drove by Cherryville two months ago, and I stopped counting does in one pasture after 100.
Keep in mind that each of those animals will produce one or two babies every year.
Grand Forks is overrun by whitetail deer in the downtown core. They wander down the middle of the streets there and sprawl on residents’ lawns. One woman had her dog killed while walking with it.
I recently spoke to MLA Linda Larson’s office in Oliver. They have the same problem with deer overrunning the area.
Alberta is having an over-population problem as well, which has led to disease in the herd.
You have to submit the animal’s head for disease detection.
Plus, the provincial people insist on killing off the deer’s natural predators. Three cougars in the Vernon area last year. The only solution is to have a two-year culling. Issue permits for hunters to bag does.
Joan Lindman
Vernon
