Dear Editor,
The population of deer in Southwest Wyoming has exploded. On any given day, small groups of deer jaunt around our town.
These hoofed invaders have always seemed abundant, but over the past decade they have reached extremely high counts. Adorable Bambi-like creatures cause destruction everywhere.
Hazards associated with high deer populations include increased car accidents, destroyed landscaping, broken fences, unsightly poop decorating lawns and, not least of all, Lyme Disease.
I have seen many deer carcasses rotting on the shoulders of roads and highways, the result of vehicular crashes. Todd Barrett in National Wildlife states, “Deer sprint across highways and runways, risking collisions and catastrophe. And their numbers are growing.”
Residents of our community spend thousands of dollars on expensive landscaping only to have beautiful flora eaten or trampled. Deer love consuming the flowers, shrubs, vegetables and low-lying branches of trees, destroying the habitat of birds and smaller animals. This widespread incidence of deer overpopulation, extending from coast to coast, has prompted researchers to find and develop solutions to the problem.
Possible remedies include: fertilization control of females, open deer hunts and translocation of the offenders. Continuation of the “do nothing” strategy regarding deer population only serves to advance an already intolerable condition.
Growing in numbers for many years, the cute, adorable graceful animals have taken over, and Southwest Wyoming soon will become “The Planet of The Deer.” Ridding our town of these varmints, disguised as Disney characters, demands action now!
Debbie Peterson
Green River
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