Phyllis, I'm afraid I still don't really understand.  To me, it seems obvious that killing wolves so that human hunters will have more caribou and moose to hunt is very different than killing deer so that many species of orchids, lilies, butterflies, songbirds, and herps won't decline or even disappear.  In certain parts of the East Coast where deer hunting is not allowed, some wildflower species haven't been seen for decades, and low-nesting songbirds can no longer nest.  In some parts of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania that have too many deer, native plant communities are being decimated.  The only plant species that can survive to reproduce are those unpalatable to deer.  

 

I grew up near a state park in southeast Michigan where an anti-hunting organization prevented a much-needed deer hunt for years.  By the time a sharpshooter was finally hired, there were two hundred deer per square mile, fourteen species of wildflowers had completely disappeared from the park, many other wildflower species were barely hanging on, and songbirds, butterflies, and other animals were seriously suffering.   Aldo Leopold was right in saying that a mountain lives "in mortal fear of its deer" because of what deer overpopulation can do.  So do other ecosystems.

 

I don't want that level of deer damage in Iowa.   Some of it is happening here already.   

 

I respect and greatly appreciate what you do for conservation.  However, if you are saying that we shouldn't kill deer in Iowa, then yes,  you and I will have to respectfully agree to disagree on this one.  Best wishes --  

 

ch