Maybe if hunters didn't shoot predators the deer would be in check. Not sympathetic.

Maybe if the hunters didn't shoot the predators all would be ok? Like nature?

I retrieved a few of my game cams earlier today....I set them all in video mode.

On one...(recorded early Nov)....I had the coolest clip....right in front of one....in the deep woods....a doe and two of her full size Bambis....the doe and one were nuzzling...cleaning each other....for the whole 60 second clip...so cool :).

Also saw a nice healthy fox....awesome too...

My rural property is an animal sanctuary for me...though coyotes and 2' snapping turtles aren't as welcome ;). Poachers suck :(

The problem is - some predators are indiscrimate in what they go after.

A two year old child, the family cat or dog, etc...

Think it through.

Several forum members have lost pets to predators.

A friend of mine that lives in Montana put it this way. Everyone loves bears and wolves on TV and in documentaries when they are in some other area. No one like them breaking into their house or car or killing their livestock and pets, or occasional human.

I have nothing against a few deer in the wild. When the numbers get so high that they are everywhere and people in cars are hitting them, they need to be thinned down.

And I agree, poachers suck. Make it really hurt financially for them, big fines, and confiscate the vehicle they were in, and every gun they own.

Just looked out of curiosity, in KS alone there have been almost 111,000 accidents involving deer over the last 10 years, with 71 deaths and over 6,000 injuries. During that timeframe, deer accidents represented over 17% of all crashes in KS.

I think there were like 20k auto/deer accidents in just one year in NC a few years back. Hunting deer on Sunday has never been legal in NC until just the past year or so. Follow the money (as usual)...it is now (Ins. lobby). According to my uncle (bigtime woodsman/hunter) ...they are no more prevalent in "deer country" now than 3-4 decades...but they have thrived where not hunted. In my county 1 deer per square mile....WAY to dense. On my semi-rural land....more like 1 per acre....seriously. I know Vash hates me. It's my Bambi sanctuary...so don't even ask Cliffy ;).

edited: I thought wrong....20k is more accurate.