Deerbuster.com

This time of year newspaper articles about the deer population, hunting etc. abound. I think it's because the journalists have learned that now is when the paper will be able to make the most controversy. I read an article recently and the author seemed go on and on about the deer nuisance while seeming totally oblivious to the concept of hunting. I took the opportunity to respond and be a self appointed ambassador for my sport.

To: The Editor

In response to a recent letter by Robert White "What can be done about deer?" The answer is far more simple than working with town Selectmen and approaching the DEP with your plan. The DEP already has a way but our community is generally against and opposes it. It's called hunting.

I currently hunt (archery only) in Darien, with the written permission of the landowner, as required by state law. My wife and I can harvest a total of 8 deer this year, and possibly take more if a bonus program is deemed necessary by the DEP. We live in a wonderful state, where much is done to protect landowners. Landowners are immune to any legal exposure resulting from hunting or hunters on their land. It is illegal to hunt without written permission on your person, dated the current year. The permission form must be the original, making attempted forgery obvious. You may grant permission to as many hunters as you wish. "Posted" signs are redundant, since all land is already protected.

Yes, the DEP has all the tools it needs to manage the deer herd, almost. Even though landowners are protected, even though we can hunt almost anywhere such as a small property of an acre, even with our liberal bag limits and bonus programs, even with our long hunting season, the wildlife managers cannot control the single most important variable in the equation.

Nine out of ten folks I ask for permission to hunt say "no thanks". They want the deer and associated plague of damage and disease reduced, but they say no. I believe I ask nicely, as politically correctly as I can, but they say no. Maybe it's got to do with the bow and arrow thing. Maybe it's perceived as painful. It's not. I've seen mortally hit deer go right back to feeding or browsing. Maybe it's the anti hunter activist misinformation, causing people to worry about wounded deer wandering about. A recent study showed that 81% of all hit deer where harvested by the hunter and the majority of those not recovered survived.

Next time I ask, say yes and we'll both benefit. Better yet, ask me first!

-- Rob Lucas

Now you may agree or disagree with what I said, but it matters little. It didn't get printed anyway.

Ted Nugent brought a lot of attention to our sport several years ago with a "whack 'em and stack 'em" comment on one of his videos. Animal activists got into it and the mainstream press picked up from there. End result, we got beat up pretty bad. Some folks offered the advice that if we had something to say, we should contact an approved "official" spokesperson.

Does that mean we should all be low profile, politically correct and just hope that the movement to end all sport hunting just goes away? I think not. My mother told me recently that I didn't first speak till later than most but since I've " made up for it" .

Go ahead and say what you have to say. I'd rather see things my brothers and sisters in the hunting fellowship have to say in print than unchecked anti-hunting drivel. If the those lies get repeated often enough, eventually, the silent majority will start believing it. And then it will be too late. Sound off!