I couldn’t believe the article (p.7, Sept. 8) that residents of Lumby are intentionally feeding deer. Really? I can well believe that many Lumby residents (like us in Spallumcheen) have vegetable gardens, ornamental plants, a few fruit trees and are unintentially feeding deer. And we sure wish we weren’t.
I trust the $500 fine doesn’t apply to those activities. So what are Lumby citizens who lack vegetables, plants, and fruit trees feeding these pests?
Deer over-population is not a local problem.
It is in fact a problem for the whole continent – and fairly recent. Deer populations in the past have been kept in check by four things: starvation in harsh winters, disease, predation, and hunting. And probably in that order.
So what is going to control the deer population in the future? Hard to envision harsher winters as the climate changes.
We can only hope for disease – and I know that sounds awful. I think it unlikely there will ever be enough 4-footed predators to make a dent in the population. The percentage of people who hunt keeps going down.
Did you know that venison, properly handled, is absolutely delicious? If it showed up on your grocery store shelf, would you try it?
I think licensed market hunting of deer with all the meat safety constraints in place is the ONLY way to get those deer out of our towns, gardens and orchards.
Do I think it will happen? No. At least until the problem of deer predation and automobile strikes gets a lot worse.
Many of us remember the first time we saw a deer, and it was pretty thrilling.
I wonder if it is the same for a kid if you see several of them sleeping on your small city lawn.
Doug Sonju
Vernon