The Great Outdoors
The golden goose is dead The barrage of newspaper columns in recent weeks praising the deer genocide program has sent an almost inexplicable feeling up my spine. It is a feeling of outrage followed by a feeling of sadness and ultimately a feeling of anger that overcomes the mind when one reminisces what has occurred. It is interesting that those who shout the loudest obviously have no understanding of modern conservation. Frankly, I suspect the most vocal couldn’t tell the difference between “Shineola” and a fresh cluster of deer droppings.
A common insinuation that permeates these “kill the deer” newspaper columns is a notion that herd reduction is a victimless program. I’m certain the writers realize that hunters and our hunting tradition will be severely impacted, but those facts remain intentionally missing. Some columns actually smirk with contempt for hunters. I sense that we are now being re-categorized as mere Neanderthals who happen to carry modern weapons.
In any debate the intelligent mind wants to reach out and consider all ramifications. Are hunters the only entity effected by herd reduction? Did any other group or individuals derive pleasure or income from our previously existing deer herd? Without a doubt our small communities and rural businesses throughout this state will be impacted beyond the understanding of the average non-hunting citizen. Unless you have witnessed the previous explosive economic activity of deer season across this Commonwealth, you could not comprehend the devastation that is about to take place in our rural communities. It is safe to say that this deer eradication program will cause foreclosures, bankruptcies and the shutting down of rural businesses on a grand scale. It is already happening. There will be children who will actually lose the opportunity to go to college because mom and dad’s business is no more.
Just today I had the pleasure of speaking with 86 year old Phil Marks of Renovo, PA. A nicer gentleman you will not find. Phil’s father started the business in 1894 as the first Woolrich clothing distributor in the nation. Phil’s business is way down from the lack of hunters. His future is uncertain. This scenario will play out across our great rural areas over and over. The railroad is long gone and now the hunters will be gone. Are ghosts towns the future of rural PA?
Did Gary Alt consider the economic impacts of herd eradication when he conceived his program? Apparently, he did not. Is regeneration of our forests so important that it doesn’t matter if a $5 billion hunting industry collapses and takes thousands of lives with it? Actually, it is the responsibility of our PGC Commissioners to consider biological, social, recreational and economic impacts when considering a deer program. Can we say our Commissioners were derelict in their duties and are a perfect example of malfeasance in office? Frankly, a high school student would have put more thought into the downsides of a deer eradication program than our PGC Commissioners. Let us not forget than we have known of our regeneration problem for 50 years and it is common in every state where northern red oak regeneration is desired. PA is the only state embroiled in a deer eradication program to resolve this problem.
I have heard through the grapevine than many of our rural merchants are quite upset with the present eradication course. I have also heard that some merchants believe “eco-tourism” will quickly replace hunting revenue. I am sorry to inform the optimistic that there is no Santa Claus and it will take 20 years or more for tourism to challenge the economic benefit of hunting. DCNR’s elk program is already fading and its insignificant $1 million per year contribution to our rural economies will never equal the hundreds of millions enthusiastically spent by hunters. I should qualify that by saying “formerly” spent by our hunters.
There is no doubt in my mind that our deer eradication program was designed by DCNR. Regeneration was just the excuse to swing public opinion against deer, hunters and hunting. Saving our forests from the deer is actually scientifically bankrupt propaganda. It is really about depopulating our rural northern counties, controlling the resources and merging the Commissions.
A handful of people are responsible for this debacle. I believe full legislative, investigative hearings are warranted. Those responsible should be removed from their positions of authority never to hurt our citizens or economy, again.
Hunting was the goose that laid the golden egg for much of PA and its economy. Tragically, the goose is dead. Now, we have an obligation to find and punish the murderers.
Jim Slinsky is the host and producer of the “Sportsman’s Connection”, a nationally syndicated, outdoor-talk radio program. For a station near you or to contact Jim, visit his website at www.outdoortalknetwork.com