It takes at least five years for a whitetail buck to reach maturity. Many people will never get to see bucks of this caliber except in areas where they are protected. On August 28, from 6-8:00 pm there will be a meeting at the Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor Center to get comments from the public about the plan to reduce the number of deer on the Battlefield using sharpshooters. If you believe, as I do, that mature bucks should be spared, this is the chance to make your voice heard. Mark your calendars and attend this meeting to support the opportunity to continue seeing bucks like these.
Thanks for visiting. I hope to see you on the 28th.
I found out about this plan to cull the deer at Sharpsburg, Monocacy, and Manassas just recently and find it very disturbing. Like you, I hope they do not shoot the large bucks or any bucks for that matter. As you are no doubt aware the herd in SNP faces the same threat and there I am not aware of it being a problem to agriculture or motorists like it may be around the battlefields, but some would still like to shoot it down for the other reasons they are wanting to shoot the battlefield herds. I do hope that the people in your area can rally support to stop this, but I am not optimistic. It seems that once the anti-deer people get going there is no stopping them.
ReplyDeleteWillard, thanks for your comment. I hope to keep this plan prominent as long as possible in order to reach as many interested folks as I can. It is remarkable how many people I talk to who are not aware of it. Even more remarkable is the number of folks who do not understand how it will affect their viewing opportunities.
ReplyDeleteSteve
Years ago, Whitetail Deer photography used to be great - world class - at Gettysburg and Valley Forge. Then they implemented herd-reduction programs. This made all of the big, mature bucks very secretive and nocturnal. Now I don't even bother to take a camera with me at Gettysburg and Valley Forge. The photographic opportunities for mature buck deer are completely worthless.
ReplyDeleteA fact I wish the NPS folks would take into account when making "resource management" decisions:
There are many many MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of acres throughout the US and Canada that have properly balanced deer density. There are ONLY A FEW AREAS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD where one can effectively photograph free-ranging, mature Whitetail bucks at reasonably close distances. Please leave the herds in these areas alone.
Tom,
ReplyDeleteObviously, I agree with your comment. I hope that you can take the time to visit the NPS site and add your voice to those opposing the plan.Only when the NPS realizes the value that so many of us put on the opportunity to view and photograph mature bucks will they re-think a plan that includes exterminating them.
Steve