As Hunting Gets Closer to Home, Wildlife Friends are Killed

On September 24th, C.A.S.H. received the following letter from Elissa Myers of VA:
My husband found your remarkable piece, “Human Hunting Destroys Our Environment,” and I sent it on to the Washington Post. A reporter contacted me. I think they may do a story. [C.A.S.H. has not heard from them. We are reprinting the article on the cover of this issue.]
“Deer management” season began today in Virginia, and my little black lab Indi and I found one of our deer buddies lying dead five yards from a trail heavily used by kids and bikers and dog walkers – I’m heart broken and outraged, and on a rampage… I’ve written to my Congressman and other local representatives, to the Post – to everyone I can think of. … I know this deer – we’ve been watching her grow and mature, and she was really lovely. What sport is there in shooting a graceful sentient being that is not afraid of humans? How safe can it be to have recreational hunters shooting in the woods where our children play and where we hike and bike?

As Elissa works to get “deer management” stopped, she will not forget this little doe. She is learning more about the deviousness of the agencies and their many friends and protectors in government and media.

On Sept. 25th, Elissa wrote: I’ve attached four pictures:

The first photo was taken around August 24 — on a path that Indi and I walk down almost every day.

The second photo was taken on August 28 — just after Hurricane Irene flooded the fields.

The third photo was taken yesterday.

The park ranger I spoke with today said, “Look around at how the deer have overgrazed this area.” But the deer didn’t do it! The rain washed the vegetation away! You can see the leaves collecting around tree stumps that were washed up by the flooding.

I’ve included a fourth photo of an area where we occasionally see a deer — both taken this week. Does this land look overgrazed to you?

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[Elissa has since found another deer who had been beheaded and partially eaten. The game agencies are blaming the coyotes, but coyotes are scavengers, the deer was no doubt shot first. A coyote may now have lead in his system, may have swallowed an arrow, or injured his mouth.]