Post by DominiqueThat time of year is upon us again. Always loved the fall, until I moved to upstate N.Y. in 1978. I had grown up in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, I had never seen hunting like that before. The color change of the trees was magnificent, with the bright yellows, reds and oranges. But then by November all the leaves were gone making way for Grey woods, which was still mysterious and beautiful to me until the guns started firing all around me, Deer running everywhere, dead deer hanging in front yards as ornaments by the dozen. It definitely sent me into a culture shock. My ex husbands family, whom I thought to be peace loving hippies, to my shock took part in such heinous crimes of violence and were hunters too. We had been staying with them for a few months until our house closed, and on a cool, crisp morning, I had opened the garage door to find them up to their elbows in blood, cutting up this once living sweet, innocent animal, these people by no means needed help for food, they were quite privileged from my perspective. I closed the garage door slowly, went upstairs to my room and played my BB King record to resemble my mood. About a week later, they had gone on vacation and had called to ask my ex if he would do some work in the room where they had there freezer full of murdered deer meat, I was keeping my ex company while he did his work and he had unplugged the freezer to use the outlet for his power tools. When finished as we were leaving, he asked me to plug the freezer back in the outlet, I looked at the plug on the floor and turned off the light. When they returned from vacation a few days later, the floor by the freezer was covered in diluted blood, they turned and looked at me and said "disgusting", I looked hard at them and said "exactly" as I exited the room.
Please read Lane's letter for further information, (below) and Sign the petition:
To Mayor Currin, Council Members and Anthony Bales,
It has come to my attention that you are considering allowing bow hunting in Hudson as a means to thin the deer herd. That will not work any more than hiring sharp shooters will because you will not be addressing the root cause of the problem.
Studies across the board prove that killing significant numbers of deer will not only fail to solve the problem but exacerbate it. Dr. Allen Rutberg, eminent expert on wildlife management as well as wildlife contraception, and head of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine said, "The most visible weakness in the assertion that hunting is necessary to control deer populations is that it has largely failed to do so over the last two decades. Just because deer are being killed doesn't mean that deer populations are being controlled."
Studies conducted by Fish and Game agencies across the country show that 50% of deer shot with an arrow run off to die long, drawn out agonizing deaths. Please read admissions from hunters themselves, regarding unretrieved deer:
Please watch the video taken in Walton Hills last winter which shows that hunting is the cause and not the cure of dva's.
Important data recently published by the Erie Insurance company (the 16th largest auto insurer in the U.S.) found that, after collecting statistics for a decade, it was determined that the two most dangerous days to drive (in terms of deer) are the opening day and opening Saturday of hunting season. The study showed a dramatic five-fold increase. Deer frightened by bullets and arrows run blindly into the roads.
The Independence chief of police said, "An accident we had was a guy east of route 21 in the woods. He shot a deer that ran out onto route 21 and into the side of a car."
In a recent Freedom of Information request to the city of Independence it was revealed that during the city's bow hunting season deer were shot with arrows and never retrieved.
Here is a picture of a dead deer a resident in Independence found in their backyard. Many residents have witnessed wounded deer running through the neighborhoods impaled with arrows or have found dead deer in their yards.
The following was sent from a resident in Independence to a council member: A nearby resident told me of another dead deer on their property. This one still has the arrow in it and has been there long enough to be bloated due to the warm weather we have been having. I would give you the resident's name and you would know it, but many people are reluctant to get the visibility that accompanies complaining. You can certainly count this one as having been lost by the hunter, or possibly not even tracked due to lack of permission on adjoining properties.
Presently there is a doe that has been traveling between Brecksville and Broadview Hts. for the last nine months who has an arrow in her eye. 
Yet another picture of a doe found in a suburban neighborhood. She had two fawns.
I have seen a deer standing in the middle of Turney Rd. stamping her foot and shaking her head with an arrow in her throat.
There is no doubt that if bow hunting is allowed in Hudson residents will be seeing the same kinds of things. How will you handle this? Will you be held responsible if someone is injured?
Solon police chief, Wayne Godzich, himself a bow hunter would never allow bow hunting in the city. He said, "As a hunter I don't think anyone wants to see deer expire in their front yards. I'm responsible for the people of the city of Solon and their properties.That's why I can't condone hunting. Deer can run for miles before collapsing and dying of arrow wounds. They can even get hit through the lungs and still run."
Bow hunting as a deer management tool quotes:
In Texas, which has more deer than any other state, Parks and Wildlife Biologist, Horace Gore comments: "You cannot call bow hunting a population control measure. It is a recreational pursuit. In fact, he adds: "We do not advocate bow hunting when the objective is controlling the population."
Larry Gillette, wildlife biologist for Hennepin Parks, acknowledges that bow hunters fail to retrieve a substantial number of deer they shoot and does not advise the use of archery hunting to control deer.
A report in Rock Cut State Park in Illinois, department of conservation biologist, Tom Beiset states: "This report recognizes that bow hunting has never been an effective tool for bow hunting.
The mayor of Egan, Tom Eagan, was quoted as saying, "I have always supported bow hunting but I no longer feel the rationale that it's an efficient management tool or outweighs the safety and cruelty aspects. I think if we set loose every bowhunter in Eagan we still wouldn't reduce the deer population and the city would be less safe. It isn't feasible for every bowhunter to shoot and retrieve five deer. They might each shoot and wound five deer but not shoot and retrieve five."
Please read quotes (attached) from respected biologists, scientists and other experts regarding the efficacy of bow hunting or culling as a management tool.
Two years ago Peaceful Deer Alliance, along with the Humane Society of the U.S., brought Sandy Baker, (dubbed the Deer Dr.), here where she gave four seminars on How to Deer-Proof your Garden. She presented at Petitti's Garden Center, The city of Seven Hills rec center, the Aurora Recreation and Parks Center and Eagle Creek Garden Center in Bainbridge. A Hudson resident won the Scarecrow deer deterrent. I have just spoken to him and he said that "it worked like a charm and his Day Lillies are even coming back." Ms. Baker's vast knowledge and success stories are so impressive that Pepper Pike Mayor, along with a few others, brought her back to the area last year where she gave two more presentations.
Ms. Baker recently called Mr. Bales to discuss coming to Hudson for a seminar. She is waiting for his return call.
I know that the city of Hudson purchased the Strieter Lites several years ago but no data has been taken nor have they been maintained. Mr. Dennis Randolph, P.E., has worked for almost four decades in road and highway relatated postitions and has acquired extensive experience in these areas. He served from 1992 to 2008 as the Calhoun County Road Commission Managing Director, Calhoun Ct., MI. Michigan consistently ranked first, second or third place state wide on Deer-Vehicle-Accidents (DVA's) As a measure to address this problem and reduce budget expenses, Mr. Randolph and his team approved and oversaw the installation of Streiter-Lite deer reflectors in both rural and urban areas of the county., resulting in an 80-95% reduction of DVA's in those areas.After ten years the reflectors are still working.
I'm sure Mr. Randolph would be happy to work with you to correct any mistakes or unsatisfactory results with the Strieter Lites.
His contacts:
586-786-9659
248-867-0458 Cell
As modern technology marches on another roadside deer deterrent, Wildlife Crossing Guard has been developed. DeerDeter by JAFA Technologies has been used with tremendous success. Ed Mulka, president of the company, has sent me a packet of information along with a CD, as well as Greg Janik, who will give this information to Mr. Bales for you to review.
The DeerDeter Wildlife Crossing Guard is a roadside device that is activated by approaching headlights to emit sound and light as stimuli to stop animals from crossing the road. The shrill alarm and a blue-white strobe-type light is an active method to keep deer from crossing a road when a vehicle is present at night.
This system is significantly less expensive than the Strieter Lites and does not require the precision installation nor the same maintenance as the Strieter Lites. I firmly believe this system will be the answer to dva's across the country. Hunting will not.
Mr. Mulka is willing to come to Hudson to give you a presentation at your convenience. After reviewing the information packet and CD I am positive you will be very excited and interested in this system.
Allowing bow hunting within city limits will encourage poachers as proven in many other suburbs such as Solon and Broadview Hts. Your stated concern for residents safety will prove to be very insincere if you allow razor-tipped arrows and crossbow bolts that travel 184 mph, with a minimum range of 180 ft. close to homes, residents and their families and companion animals. Bow hunting accidents are on the rise and some are even fatal.
OH citizens are strongly opposed to allowing lethal weapons to be dispersed in our neighborhoods as demonstrated recently by completed referendums in Ottawa Hills (near Toledo) and in Broadview Hts.
Ottawa Hills was considering hiring White Buffalo and Broadview Hts. wanted to allow bow hunting. I believe the Hudson residents will also do a referendum should you decide on any lethal means of deer population control.
You may not be aware but you have been looked upon by many people across the country, who are working on the deer issue, with great respect for your progressive thinking, ethics, responsible leadership and rational thinking. We must keep in step with our changing environment when making decisions in today's world. Killing sentient beings for the sake of expediency should NEVER be a community service. Luckily modern technology offers many long-term, science-proven non-violent, non-lethal solutions.
Hunting serves ONLY hunters.
For your continued respectability and as role models I hope you will not allow beautiful Hudson to be turned into a killing field.
Sincerely,
Lane Ferrante
Deer Preserve or killing field
Deer Management Doc.
