topic Re: We had a very close call today in Community Chat

We had a very close call today

cherry — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:17:03 GMT

I don't live in the boondocks. There is a big 10 school within about 10 miles from me and also urban sprawl. However, we have lots of greenbelts, and I am glad that we do. It is pretty wooded and lush. We also have a river winding through the area

But today, on our way to lunch a young deer bounded out of the woods, and we almost hit it ,as it ran across the road in front of our car. WE have seen deer so often in this area. We almost had a huge buck collide with us, as he lept across the road in front of our car ,a few years ago

The problem seems to be, there are people who don't want the herds culled. I don't know what they can be thinking of. Public safety should be number 1 imho

Re: We had a very close call today

Lacey1 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:21:29 GMT

I live in the 'burbs and we have a huge deer population. They've had debates about culling, birth control, etc. I think the bottom line is, even if you cull the herd-their numbers will just come back. There's just too much food, (gardens, flowers, shrubs, etc.). Now, we have coyotes, too. We should just figure out how to be neighbors.

Re: We had a very close call today

Reba055 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:25:01 GMT

I know someone in a similar situation who has hit a deer....twice! It's so scary and dangerous and they just dart out.

Re: We had a very close call today

AngusandBuddhasMom — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:25:51 GMT

Well since you are aware then your driving should be slow. Just like kids wildlife is not aware of your driving skill.

I am one of those who do not want the deer culled.I live in a gated community in a very wealthy area and the weekends sound of sniper fire is disgusting.

I know this is not populart with the hunters but I would love to see them have to fend themselves without any protection.

Re: We had a very close call today

NoelSeven — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:33:48 GMT

Cherry,

The same thing just happened to another poster's husband, but in his case the buck hit the car which was then totaled. Very dangerous.

There have been mountain lion sitings in SF and many other cities in Northern CA.

The same is happening with shark invasions at beaches.

Because of global warming, including the drought, and building in areas where the animals used to live, they are encroaching on populated areas.

Re: We had a very close call today

Bird mama — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:34:01 GMT

Maybe if we stopped encroaching on their habitat and stopped developing land, they'd have somewhere safe to live.

Re: We had a very close call today

nunya — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:34:37 GMT

I had 2 fawns run in front of me last week, both on the same road, yet miles apart.

It's common here, so I just try to be cautious.

Re: We had a very close call today

ValuSkr — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:42:03 GMT

@AngusandBuddhasMom wrote:

I am one of those who do not want the deer culled.I live in a gated community in a very wealthy area and the weekends sound of sniper fire is disgusting.

I guess gates keep deer out as well as riffraff? We are not so wealthy - no gates - and would prefer not to have deer eating our expensive landscaping.

Re: We had a very close call today

Cakers3 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 18:51:23 GMT

@Bird mama wrote:
Maybe if we stopped encroaching on their habitat and stopped developing land, they'd have somewhere safe to live.

*applause* Why do animals have to die to make room for more humans? With droughts, arable land disappearing, climate change - what makes people think that we can keep putting more scars on Mother Earth this way?

Re: We had a very close call today

AngusandBuddhasMom — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:00:40 GMT

Where did I say we don't have deer? Oh thats right I didn't. We have deer and I laugh at how people spend tons of $$$ on landscapes that deer will eat. And then get mad at the deer. You see, they see food they could care less about your so called expensive landscape. Oh btw, my family has garden centers and we sell the deer repellant and the expensive shrubs and flowers. We will sell you those because people would rather buy them then listen to us when we say. Yes the deer will it them. Even if you put the deer repellant down, THEY WILL EAT YOUR STUFF. Because they each have to try it before they decide if they like it or not. Nobody wants to buy the plants and shrubs that are naturally repellant of deers.

My point about living in a gated community is that it is in the suburbs and because of building in the area the animals including coyote have no where to go. So what does man do? Oh lets kill the wildlife, how dare they think they can encroach on us? We are humans we take priority over everything.

Re: We had a very close call today

StylishLady — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:01:38 GMT

When we lived in CNY, we had many near misses. Saw a lot of deer carcasses. So many that down here when we see a large palm frond in the road it looks like a dead deer until we get close to it. The highways through PA were the worst as they never cleaned up road kill. Be careful for sure, especially during mating season.

Re: We had a very close call today

Gemspirit — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 20:16:27 GMT

This is MY opinion. First of thanks be that you nor your family were not hurt, nor was the deer. The idea of culling the dear population is upsetting to me. If it were to provide good healthy protein to those whom otherwise wouldn't have it....thay is a way I find agreeable. There is a hunger issue in this country as in others, and we don't adequately address it. As the deer, also one of the creators children should be honoured and used for good rather than culled for conveinance or trophy. I am not saying anything personal. But it brought up personal memories of my own.
I grew up in England, where animals were revered (at least in my village and family) as gifts to be used when necessary for, food, their hides, and the bones and bucks as instruments in rural areas. My grandad had a victory garden, as did all my aunties and uncles. They hunted for food, not sport. And before each meal thanked our creator for providing such riches as the garden and whatever animal that gave its life to feed us. At times it was quail, and goose, rabbit. Only occasionally a deer which was shared amongst the family. One of my uncles was the game warden and nature conservator for our village. I was fortunate as a child and young woman to learn so much about plants, animals, waterways, etc.
My issue with deers in our time here in the States is that; so many woodlands and forests have been torn down for McMansions, shopping centres, condos, etc that, in many areas the deer have lost their home. They are a nuisance and safety issue for us. But we have taken their natural environment meant. It's like the old song~Joni Mitchell I think..."They paved paradise and put up a parking lot"
Edited for three embarrassing spelling errors.

Re: We had a very close call today

Burnsite — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:08:04 GMT

Hi, cherry, It's moose where my sister lives, and if they collide with the car, everyone perishes.

Very difficult ethics to sport hunting to cull herds, but deer are being driven out of their own habitats by development. My sister has lived in her mid-coast area since the 1970s, and she says there is Lyme disease there now because of deer ticks, and a huge increase in the deer population on her island. There are wild turkeys, hawks, all apparently refugees from overcrowding on the coast to islands. Deer can't swim, but there are lots of bridges to the islands as well.

Like another poster, I totally understand hunting for food but it makes me kind of sick to my stomach to think of people hunting just to kill something. Always been like this--I was taken hunting when I was little and it depressed me for weeks.

Re: We had a very close call today

Cakers3 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:08:08 GMT

Every living thing on this planet has a purpose. Upsetting the balance of nature by thinking that killing is the answer - I cringe.

People can have their landscaping and wildlife can have their habitats. Unfortunately it is the human end of the life spectrum that is disrespectful, wasteful, and quite honestly I don't consider us above all other life. We destroy life, human and animal and consider ourselves better than wildlife?? We destroy our environment, use resources as though they are infinite, consume way too many disposable items - the list goes on.

Re: We had a very close call today

cherry — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:20:48 GMT

@Burnsite wrote:
Hi, cherry, It's moose where my sister lives, and if they collide with the car, everyone perishes.

Very difficult ethics to sport hunting to cull herds, but deer are being driven out of their own habitats by development. My sister has lived in her mid-coast area since the 1970s, and she says there is Lyme disease there now because of deer ticks, and a huge increase in the deer population on her island. There are wild turkeys, hawks, all apparently refugees from overcrowding on the coast to islands. Deer can't swim, but there are lots of bridges to the islands as well.

Like another poster, I totally understand hunting for food but it makes me kind of sick to my stomach to think of people hunting just to kill something. Always been like this--I was taken hunting when I was little and it depressed me for weeks.

My understanding is the meat was to be donated to a soup kitchen, They had a public program on about culling and it named all of the really unpleasant things that can happen to the heard by over crowding

These deer do go into peopls yards. I would be scared of a small child getting attacked by a scared deer. The buck that flew over our car came out of a thicket in a subdivision that is at least 50 years old. This isn't a new area at all

I was so scared the little deer was going to get hit. We were well under the speed limit. It just came from no where. It's mother was not to be seen, so I'm not sure how old it is.

Its a common problem here. I wish they could find a

way to give them birth control ,so the population isn't so large. It makes me so sad to see dead ones lying along side the road because they were hit

Re: We had a very close call today

Plaid Pants2 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:22:40 GMT

If there are more deer than food, then they starve to death. Is that kinder than hunters going out and thining the heard? No, it isn't.

Also, mountain lions, cyotes, etc, hunt deer themselves, so as long as the mountain lions, etc, are doing their job to keep the herd numbers down, I'm good with them.

I feel bad for the wild animals, who, because of the drought, are only doing what they can to survive. It is unfortunate that they are being forced to go in to areas that are populated by humans, just to get food and/or water.

It's not good for the animals, it's not good for the humans.

It's a loose - loose situation.

One morning, many years ago, I was on my way in to work. This was at about 3:30 in the a.m. I was driving on the highway, and I was approaching my exit. I was doing the speed limit, when three deer started to cross the highway, right in front of me. I slammed on my breaks, I did NOT swerve, but I expected an impact of me hitting one.

Thankfully, the deer got out of the way, just in the nick of time.

I cursed that deer though.

Re: We had a very close call today

Venezia — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:24:13 GMT

@Cakers3 wrote:
Every living thing on this planet has a purpose. Upsetting the balance of nature by thinking that killing is the answer - I cringe.

People can have their landscaping and wildlife can have their habitats. Unfortunately it is the human end of the life spectrum that is disrespectful, wasteful, and quite honestly I don't consider us above all other life. We destroy life, human and animal and consider ourselves better than wildlife?? We destroy our environment, use resources as though they are infinite, consume way too many disposable items - the list goes on.

If I could give this a hundred hearts, I would! You've written what I've said (in person) to many people I know. People like you give me hope for the future.

Re: We had a very close call today

Venezia — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:35:02 GMT

@NoelSeven wrote:
Cherry,

The same thing just happened to another poster's husband, but in his case the buck hit the car which was then totaled. Very dangerous.

There have been mountain lion sitings in SF and many other cities in Northern CA.

The same is happening with shark invasions at beaches.

Because of global warming, including the drought, and building in areas where the animals used to live, they are encroaching on populated areas.

No...we are encroaching on their territory by building on it and forcing them into smaller and smaller areas of habitat. "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." It is of our own making.

My husband hit a deer that leapt in front of his car earlier this year, just as he was coming out of work. Sadly, the deer was killed, the car suffered approximately $5000 damage; thankfully my husband was okay, but very shaken.

We've also had many "near misses". We know what the deer (and moose) population is like and we adjust our driving accordingly, especially at certain times of the year. Having said that, some times a collision is simply unavoidable.

We still would never support "culling" the deer population or that of any other wildlife. We do not consider ourselves the "supreme" beings on this planet.

Re: We had a very close call today

ID2 — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:37:55 GMT

You really don't "get" controlling the deer population until you hit one! I live in upper MI and we try not to drive at dusk and dawn. We have hit two deer in our lifetime. One totalled our car and we barely escaped with our lives. The other bumped our truck and probably walked away with a headache. But deer are VERY dangerous! We are always on the look out when we drive. And trying to drive during hunting season? Yikes! They are all on the run and a lot of accidents happen then!

Re: We had a very close call today

AngusandBuddhasMom — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 19:41:43 GMT

Deer are only 2nd to obnoxious people from out of state in NJ." I get it" I have had several near misses but I still think culling deer is a form of sport for so called hunters.