This letter is included here to encourage others
to keep the focus on wildlife management agencies. As wildlife
management agencies are responsible for managing for hunting, changes
to their policies and the departments will spell life or death
for hunting.
State shouldn't encourage killing
Michael Risinit's Aug. 27 article, "New York
takes aim at deer in watershed," is an infomercial for the
hunting industry. According to his article, hunters are saviors
of our forests and reservoirs. They will soon stand on white treestands
and save New York City from the evil deer who are destroying the
environment. Buried in the article is only one true quote by a
game manager: "(City owned land will be open for hunting)
primarily to expand recreational opportunities." "Recreational
opportunities" is a euphemism for "hunting." Shame
on the Bureau of Wildlife of the state Department of Environmental
Conservation for tricking the public into believing that it gives
a hoot about New York City water when it sends out hunters to pump
leadshot into the ground and reservoirs.
Shame on BOW for its intentional increase of deer,
bear and other "game" species. Shame on BOW for exaggerating
problems caused by deer, and for creating whatever real problems
may exist. Our focus must turn to wildlife management agencies,
whose only goal is to perpetuate hunting to increase their revenues
from excise taxes on "sporting" weapons, including handguns.
Hunting has and will only exacerbate wildlife-human conflicts.
The public and wildlife desperately deserve a sane and humane wildlife
management bureau. If anyone would like to bring a lawsuit against
BOW for car-deer collisions, crop or landscape depredation, or
watershed erosion caused by deer (should that be proven), please
call us. Wildlife Watch will be happy to help.
ANNE MULLER
New Paltz
The writer is president, Wildlife Watch.
Printed Journal News, 9/2/02
