The question is: To shoot or not to shoot.
Grantsburg village board members kept getting complaints about deer ruining gardens and lawns in the village limits.
So what did they do?
They hired folks to come in and shoot the deer.
Initially that sounds like a bad idea.
However, they shoot with bow and arrow, not rifle, they shoot when others are not around and they are extremely careful about what they are doing.
As long as their are no complaints, I guess it works.
Trouble is, the problem is getting larger — namely the black bears that populate the community.
Many of us have lost bird feeders, lawn ornaments and much more due to the Big Black Bears.
And we don't get to enjoy them, either, because they come in after dark and do their damage.
Should we have a bear kill, too!?
Or, is there another way to take care of this problem?.... a concerned citizen
Should we also note!
What is it that we found so attractive about Grantsburg? Why did I enjoy the village so much?
Wild animals in natural habitat surounding my home and community. Animals that do not read our signs or understand Deeds of ownership.
We lived in their "range" for home and existance. They find food where we put it. Deer sip seed from bird feeders and bear will feed from containers of our disposal. If you make the food of the wildlife available, then enjoy watching them feed and bring their young to share our gifts of life.
When you live in a "Wild Life Refuge", you are the ones to be the treaspasers.
I now reside in a Dallas Texas suburb. Two Interstate Highways and multi Miny Manson estates growing at a pase of 1200 persons a day to the area. ??? I can feed bird, cats and dogs most all are strays or "wild".
I m looking forward to seeing the deer and bear in my yard without the constant buzz of traffic and having the yard lit by all of the neighbor's yard and security lights.
You will not remove the wild from the Wild Refuge when they are protected neighbors.
Feed and be fed
It happens most in the Spring and Fall: wild foods are a bit scarce and our wild friends take advantage of what we put out for them. Then, a few of us complain that they are being who they are.
If we leave the food for them, they'll eat it. Feeders are easy: bring them in each evening. Gardens of vegetable and flowers are yet another proposition. If you plant them, wildlife will enjoy them, maybe more than the planter.
Hunters can kill some of them, but it's a bottomless pit and they'll keep coming.
Enjoy where we live and the wildlife whose home we occupy.
Some of that wildlife also can provide wonderful table fare. You feed them and they can feed you.