Nate's Corner - IF ONLY DEC HAD A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

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IF ONLY DEC HAD A LITTLE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Nate Dickinson

An article entitled "Deer take bite out of Yuletide tree crop" graced the front page of the December 7th issue of the Albany, New York Times Union . It stated that Rudolph's cousins are putting the Scrooge to Christmas tree farmers across the Capital Region. Tree growers are saying that hungry and overflowing herds are a scourge worse than the extreme weather that led to other disappointing harvests this year.

Apparently some farmers even had to forgo planting trees like Fraser fir, a Yuletide favorite, in favor of species with less-palatable needles. The point has been reached where the Greene County agricultural agent is telling growers to think about planting spruce.

Blame is placed on a series of mild winters for the record high deer populations. This is the line routinely offered by those responsible for the efficient management of the wildlife resources, namely DEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation). It sure gets old, and it is utter nonsense. A healthy, a well-managed deer herd can with stand the rigors of severe winters. Mild winters do not come into play, when populations are held in balance with range carrying capacity. The facts of the matter are that deer numbers are not controlled, due to an anemic program that does not provide for the harvest of sufficient numbers of antlerless deer during the hunting season. This results in hungry deer populations well above the carrying capacity with, to make matters worse, a progressive loss of their innate fear of humans. And, the Department is quoted as saying that after an early freeze or snow, nutrition ceases to be available elsewhere in nature. This is a fairy tale. White-tailed de er adjust nicely with a transition from a herbaceous to a woody natural plant diet.

DEC must accept the blame, since according to the mandates of the Environmental Conservation Law they are the responsible agency. The Law states that it shall be the policy to foster, create and maintain conditions under which man and nature can thrive in harmony; a very clear mission. The DEC is directed to develop and carry out programs that will maintain desirable species in ecological balance, regard is directed toward ecological balance, and the compatibility of production and harvesting wildlife crops with other necessary or desirable land uses. Indeed, this is a very straight forward and does not suggest that mild winters should be used as an excuse. Another section of the Law calls specifically for maintaining deer numbers in balance with natural food supplies; not Christmas trees or other agricultural crops.

Maybe DEC has become too busy catering to the grandiose schemes of the many radical environmental groups, harassing and penalizing private property owners with a myriad of intrusive regulations, social-engineering the already depressed Adirondacks and other regions, and hugging wetlands and caressing butterflies. There apparently is just not enough luxury to devote sufficient time and brain power to the sound management of one of the State's most valuable wildlife species. And, since Earth Day there has been a tremendous change of emphasis in favor of non-game species.

Further contributing to the neglect of the problem and implementation of necessary corrective measures is the tendency to cater to those individuals and groups who believe that wild animals should be given rights. They would like people to feel guilty when human concerns and interests, such as growing Christmas trees, take precedence over those of wildlife. Actually, in light of the way wildlife treats humans, man is very nice and tolerant of the wild creatures. A case can easily be made that wildlife already has too many rights, some of which man does not possess. Wildlife is allowed to roam at will, not having to show respect for private property and is not required to adhere to any sanitary codes. And, as is the case with the white-tailed deer, to wantonly destroy forest vegetation, landscape plants, and agricultural crops; yes, including Christmas trees.

Beginning in the 1930's, New York State was recognized as being a leader in white-tailed deer management and possessing one of the most sophisticated, effective programs in the nation. Refinements were continually implemented and discipline emphasized to insure that the program was totally in line with the mandates of the Law. Then around 1990 the worm turned. A once noble program lost much of its luster. In the process, the Big Game Unit Leader was replaced and much of the necessary discipline was scrapped. The reasons behind such drastic changes have never been satisfactorily explained, but it would appear that there was a desire to conform to the dictates of the environmental movement, which was exerting extreme pressure on DEC to redirect program emphasis and to a lesser extent, a once-ineffective, noisy minority of hunters who cried that too many female deer where being harvested.

It is interesting to note that shortly before these drastic changes one random survey of deer hunters revealed that three out of four respondents rated New York's deer management program good or excellent, while in another survey only 15 percent expressed any dissatisfaction. Two non-random surveys conducted by members of the State Legislature produced comparable results. Obviously the will of the vast majority was ignored.

After being relieved of his responsibilities the ex-Big Game Unit Leader erected a granite headstone, replete with the epitaph " RIP N.Y. DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 1935-1990" in his backyard. As time goes by it becomes more and more evident that the once noble program does in fact lie beneath the stone.

The Times Union article ends with a rather interesting quote from one of the tree farmers, "I guess I am sort of live and let live with the deer, so long as they don't damage anything". So be it.

December 10, 2002 Nate Dickinson

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