Since the subject of hunting for food and/or sport has come  up, I'd like 
to point out that some of us support killing  deer for ecological reasons.   
Deer overpopulation has been  described as an "ongoing catastrophe" in 
BIOSCIENCE because of what it is  doing to natural areas across the eastern U.S.  
I don't hunt deer  myself, but I am grateful to the hunters who (ethically 
and  legally) shoot does.  And many (if not most) Iowa natural  areas would 
be better off if more does were killed every year.   
 
The often-cited recommendation of thirty deer per square mile is based on  
sociology, meaning the level at which significant numbers of people  start 
complaining about deer damage.  We should aim for much lower  deer densities 
if we want to protect native ecosystems.   Unfortunately, some parts of Iowa 
have deer densities of more  than fifty deer per square mile.   We need to 
do  better. 
 
ch
 
Cindy  Hildebrand
[log in to unmask]
Ames, IA  50010

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to:
[log in to unmask]

Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp