09-21-2011, 04:03 PM
What I fear is that the deer get established in the gulches and inaccessible areas. Hunters don't go in those areas. The deer can nip topside and ravage gardens. The pigs already do that.
The pigs aren't confined to hunting preserves. They are roaming private property and tearing up landscaping, lawns, doing a ton of damage.
If the deer could be kept in hunting preserves that would be different.
I heard a short presentation this week from people who are working with thousands of acres on Hamakua to remove invasives and replant the land with native species, plants and native birds. In order to succeed, they have to fence off the whole thing, because of the pigs. Pig fencing doesn't have to be as high as deer fencing though. The expense of effective deer fencing is no joke, and it wouldn't be pretty in paradise either.
I have nothing against hunting other than that it won't keep the pests without predators from wreaking havoc. The enthusiastic energy on island for sustainable gardening would get a huge setback -- and that is an important movement. Lots of kids at risk are getting involved in the sustainable food projects.
The pigs aren't confined to hunting preserves. They are roaming private property and tearing up landscaping, lawns, doing a ton of damage.
If the deer could be kept in hunting preserves that would be different.
I heard a short presentation this week from people who are working with thousands of acres on Hamakua to remove invasives and replant the land with native species, plants and native birds. In order to succeed, they have to fence off the whole thing, because of the pigs. Pig fencing doesn't have to be as high as deer fencing though. The expense of effective deer fencing is no joke, and it wouldn't be pretty in paradise either.
I have nothing against hunting other than that it won't keep the pests without predators from wreaking havoc. The enthusiastic energy on island for sustainable gardening would get a huge setback -- and that is an important movement. Lots of kids at risk are getting involved in the sustainable food projects.