Running Head: Controlling Deer Population

Hunting: How is it Controlling Deer Population?

Griffin Elmore
Rowan Cabarrus Community College

Controlling Deer Population

Hunting: How is it Controlling Deer Population?

Is hunting controlling deer population? What is hunting helping? Is it doing anything at
all? If there is not any hunters in the woods hunting, or as some may call it, controlling the deer
population, then the population of white tail deer will double in a year. Hunting helps to control
the deer population, prevents the spread of disease, it also helps to decrease the amount of deervehicle collision.

Like a lot of things in life, there is tradition. There is a big tradition in hunting. Fathers
teach their sons and daughters the ways of the woods, the ways to hunt. The certain way to set up
different tree stands, what they need to look for when scout, how to track the deer after the shot,
and what to do after harvesting their deer. And these traditions may go back second, third, and
even fourth generations. Every year hunters go to their local outdoor shops and buy their deer
tags. The each receives six deer tags, four of those tags are doe and the remaining two are
antlered or antlerless deer tags. Deer populations today have risen to approximately 1.25 million
deer in North Carolina. (Hartigan & Osborne, 2009) With that big of a number of deer there is
something that needs to be done to help control the population. If the deer population is not
controlled the deer will over populate which can lead to starvation in the herds of deer, and also
cause crops to have severe depredation, which is caused by the deer grazing the crops for food.
Without hunting it can also cause disease to spread.

As we all know some disease can be very dangerous and even fatal. In this case EHD is a
disease, which is fatal to the deer population. And the world doesnt need another animal ending
up on the extinct list. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is only found in deer, it cannot be

Controlling Deer Population

transferred to human so hunters have nothing to worry about while in the woods, or when
consuming the meat. This disease is transferred to the deer by biting flies called midges. Every
year cases are found of this disease all over the country. But in 2007 was the last record big
outbreak in the state of North Carolina. Once the disease outbreak dies off, the deer herds
bounces back quick. But if the disease infected deer arent taken care of the infected deer will
just continue to spread the disease which will eventually have a big impact on the deer
population. Close to 15,000 deer were reported to have died of EHD. (Abhat, 2014) The infected
deer are usually having high fevers, which then the deer seek out water for help to subside the
fever. Most of the infected deer are found dead near water sources. And the deer will cross roads
to get to the water. In some counties they in introducing the urban archery season. This is an
extended season for bow hunters only. These hunters are allowed to hunt in city limits with only
bow and arrow. The season is put in place to help control deer population, and decrease the
number of car collision with deer. Mecklenburg and Cabarrus counties have yet to adopt this in
their cities. But in the counties that have adopted this season have decreased the number of deercar collision.

I have had my on personal experience with deer and car collision, numerous times. One
time my brother and I was driving and a deer jumped out in front of his car and he did what he
was suppose to do, you hit the brakes and prepare for impact. You never want to serve to miss
the deer, which can cause the accident more severe and even fatal. And the other time, my
mother and I were driving and the deer ran into the side of our car. Both of my experiences
happened during the rut. The rut, which usually occurs during October and November, is when
the bucks hormones are high and they are chasing does to mate. This is the best time for hunters,
but the worst time for innocent bystanders. The bucks will chase doe for miles and miles, which

Controlling Deer Population

eventually will cross roads of some sort. Which is bad news for commuters heading to work, or
taking their kids to school. The N.C. Department of Transportation said there were 20,308
animal-related crashes in 2013. (Lyttle, 2014) With numbers like that, the cost of the damages is
in the billions. These numbers are higher in more northern states where the deer population is
higher because of the more range vast lands. During this time where car and deer collision,
hunters are in the woods hunting for their bounty.
Some people against hunting will say that it is cruel and unusual punishment. Todays
advancement in modern hunting technology makes hunting very quick. And even in some cases
instant. The bullets used nowadays are very effective and the board heads for archers are very
lethal. The time of impact to the time of death is minimal. If there is any cruel and unusual
punishment it is done by poachers. Poachers will do anything and everything to get their target.
They will shoot out of their vehicles without thinking twice. They will shoot the fawns or babies
just for the meat these poachers have no remorse. Some organization will donate all the meat
from their harvest to the less privileged and the hungry. Zac Brown, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean,
and Chipper Jones are all supporters of these organizations. They will go on hunts with outfitters
and guides and harvest a number of deer and donate all their meat to these organizations.
So if it wasnt for deer hunters the whitetail deer population would double within a year and they
would be everywhere. The deer would be all over the roads; in your backyard and the number of
disease infected deer would rise again. The amount of deer-car collision would increase to
extremely high numbers, which can cause the death rate to also increase. Hunting has a butterfly
effect. Change one thing in the chain, and the effects just continue to build up. People against
hunting will see the effect hunters have on the world if they are gone.

Controlling Deer Population

References
Hartigan, Chris and Osborne, Scott (2009). White-Tail Deer. Ncwildlife. Retrieved from
http://www.ncwildlife.org/portals/0/whitetaildeer.pdf
Abhat, Divya (2014). How Hemorrhagic Disease is Changing. TheWildlifteSocietyNews.
Retrieved from http://news.wildlife.org/featured/tracking-a-deer-killer/
Lyttle, Steve (2014). Its the Season for Carolinas Deer-Vehicle Crashes. CharlotteObsever.
Retrieved from http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/10/21/5257320/its-the-season-forcarolinas-deer.html#.VH6t_kv4vwI