Deer Control

Real idiotic article in the NY Times on controlling deer.

They discuss 3 options.

A $1,000 plus $100 a month surveillance plan to track deer, deter them through noise and scents, and pesticides applied to plants. Dumb, dumb dumb. And expensive.

A $295 deer proof fence. Well, thats a bit better, but seriously I'd rather have no garden than a garden covered by an ugly black mesh fence.

"The most important thing to remember is that you have to completely enclose the area you want to protect," Mr. Benner said. "Some people enclose just their garden, and some enclose the entire property."

Finally, they discuss the only real strategy.

Dan Beyer, one of four partners in WhiteTail Solutions in Oxford, Conn., said that his company uses experienced licensed archers to cull troublesome herds. "We hunt from elevated tree stands, and all our shots are projected downward," Mr. Beyer said.

Of course, they make this seem like it is above and beyond the normal. Shouldn't all shots out of a stand be downward, anyway? And what the hell is a "licensed archer." Are they claiming any thing other than the 'ol hunting license anyone can pick up for $20?

Mr. Beyer is ok with me though, cause apparently he doesn't charge for his services. Rather, he sells hunting gear on line and takes the venison and donates it to food banks (would have been nice for the Times to throw a reference to Hunters for the Hungry in there) or local sporting groups.

I've got my own solution.