Most states have a open and closed season on deer. Open season is when the deer season is open. That's in late fall and winter, when the deer are mating, and the young have left their mothers.
The deer that are hunted and taken are considered a "harvest" by the state wildlife department here in Texas as well. It is considered a renewable resource.
The herds are closely managed in most states. There is no longer a significant number of predators in most places to control the deer population. They quickly outnumber the level that the environment can support with appropriate food and become undernourished and diseased.
Unlike cattle, deer don't eat grass. They eat what is called forbes and mast. Mostly that's like herbaceous plants and woody stems like sprouting trees and such. the more land that is cleared usually means less food.
The deer are treated something like wild livestock I guess you could say, and harvested like any other food source, albeit by individuals. There are more and more hunters donating their processed deer (one that has been made into edible portions by a butcher, like cattle are) to the area food banks. Quite a few here in Texas, in fact.
The state pays for managing the herd by charging for hunting licenses.
A whole culture grew up surrounding the hunting of meat for the family and is passed on today in rural areas. It is a source of pride that is not understood by those removed from the activity of bringing meat to the table. Most of us just hunt the meat case in the grocery store. Others hunt in the environment for theirs or raise it on their own land.
posted on June 29, 2004 09:32:18 PM new
One thing I meant to add is that with the management of the herd, it gives those who just want to watch the deer a healthy managed herd in great numbers to view. Visit any state park in Texas and you will see what I mean!
The wildlife has gotten so tame in the parks, a law was recently passed against feeding any of the animals.
posted on June 29, 2004 10:02:23 PM new
That card is certainly the same card as yours except for not being a RPPC. The four men in the picture are not the same four in the other card. Maybe you should write that website and ask about it. That is if you can.
I was a X-Ray tech working in Ashland Wisconsin in my early years and every year we had a deer hunter that was shot over on the island and that was in the 50's. Closest hospital was where I worked. They had more hunters than deer.
