Dear Hunting Season Ends Sunday - RI

[Guest guest]

_http://www.projo.com/news/content/deer_count_01-02-08_4N8E0O8_v9.c62f.html_

(http://www.projo.com/news/content/deer_count_01-02-08_4N8E0O8_v9.c62f.html)

Deer hunting season ends Sunday

January 2, 2008

Journal Staff Report

Rhode Island hunters have shot more than 2,100 deer on the mainland this

season, which continues until Sunday for shotgun hunters in certain areas.

Lori Gibson, the supervising wildlife biologist for the Department of

Environmental Management, puts the number at 2,154 so far: 323 by bow, 1,343 by

muzzleloaders and 488 by shotgun.

On Block, Conanicut, Aquidneck and Prudence islands, 125 deer have been

taken.

More deer have been taken in the state this season than last, but only by

about 100.

Gibson said there is an overabundant deer herd this season — about 16,000

animals — and encourages private landowners to allow hunters to take deer on

their property.

Controlling the deer population in the state is important in maintaining the

ecological health of the forest, Gibson said.

Many deer also die every year after wandering onto roads.

So far for 2007, 992 deer have been reported killed by automobiles, and

Gibson expects the total to be a little below the average of 1,200 annually.

Although the DEM does not monitor deer populations in an effort to control

the spread of Lyme disease, curbing the deer herd can help reduce the number

of ticks that carry the bacterial illness.

According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rhode

Island had the fourth highest rate of infection per capita in the nation in

2006, at a rate of 29 cases per 100,000 people.

Only Connecticut, Delaware and New Hampshire had higher rates.

Gibson said the intensity of the coming tick season depends on weather

conditions and the health of the mice population, which hosts the disease.

Should Rhode Island experience a prolonged drought or a decrease in the food

supply of mice, the number of infected ticks could drop significantly,

Gibson said.

Coughlan, President

MA Lyme Disease Awareness Assoc.

Mashpee, MA

**************************************See AOL's top rated recipes

(http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

[Guest guest]

GOOD POST!

Confirms what I have read many, many times, and that the bigger

problem is NOT the deer, but the mice. As it is the mice that carry

the disease, not the deer. Deer DO carry the ticks around, but

don't, at least as far as the thorough studies show, carry the Lyme

themselves. Deer do carry other diseases though, such as CWD.

So, we need to be MORE concerned with the MICE in our yards and

homes than we do deer. Most of the time, deer don't get into our

homes. Though I have plenty of them here in my yard.

Interesting food for thought.

Jim.

###

>

> _http://www.projo.com/news/content/deer_count_01-02-

08_4N8E0O8_v9.c62f.html_

> (http://www.projo.com/news/content/deer_count_01-02-

08_4N8E0O8_v9.c62f.html)

>

> Deer hunting season ends Sunday

> January 2, 2008

>

>

> Journal Staff Report

> Rhode Island hunters have shot more than 2,100 deer on the

mainland this

> season, which continues until Sunday for shotgun hunters in

certain areas.

> Lori Gibson, the supervising wildlife biologist for the Department

of

> Environmental Management, puts the number at 2,154 so far: 323 by

bow, 1,343 by

> muzzleloaders and 488 by shotgun.

> On Block, Conanicut, Aquidneck and Prudence islands, 125 deer have

been

> taken.

> More deer have been taken in the state this season than last, but

only by

> about 100.

> Gibson said there is an overabundant deer herd this season †"

about 16,000

> animals †" and encourages private landowners to allow hunters to

take deer on

> their property.

> Controlling the deer population in the state is important in

maintaining the

> ecological health of the forest, Gibson said.

> Many deer also die every year after wandering onto roads.

> So far for 2007, 992 deer have been reported killed by

automobiles, and

> Gibson expects the total to be a little below the average of 1,200

annually.

> Although the DEM does not monitor deer populations in an effort to

control

> the spread of Lyme disease, curbing the deer herd can help reduce

the number

> of ticks that carry the bacterial illness.

> According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, Rhode

> Island had the fourth highest rate of infection per capita in the

nation in

> 2006, at a rate of 29 cases per 100,000 people.

> Only Connecticut, Delaware and New Hampshire had higher rates.

> Gibson said the intensity of the coming tick season depends on

weather

> conditions and the health of the mice population, which hosts the

disease.

> Should Rhode Island experience a prolonged drought or a decrease

in the food

> supply of mice, the number of infected ticks could drop

significantly,

> Gibson said.

> Coughlan, President

> MA Lyme Disease Awareness Assoc.

> Mashpee, MA

>

>

>

> **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes

> (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)

>

>

>