DENNIS Keith’s letter, (The Border Mail, May 16), reveals his naivety and lack of understanding about the feral deer problem.
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The massive increase in deer numbers is causing major ecological and agricultural problems.
Not only do deer destroy the native environment, they damage crops and fences and increase the risk of foot and mouth disease.
Deer are classified as wildlife under the Wildlife Act and have the same status as native wildlife when they are clearly a pest animal.
Mr Keith states hunters shot 55,000 deer last year. This is a drop in the ocean. It is estimated there are hundreds of thousands of deer in Victoria alone.
Recreational hunting will never reduce the deer population. Hunters are not motivated to limit the population but ensure their numbers are maintained.
In Queensland, SA, WA, ACT and New Zealand deer have been declared pest animals.
Only systematic, intensive programs professionally implemented will produce the desired result of eradicating deer.
This is the issue. People like Mr Keith want to be allowed to hunt deer on public land for sport at the expense of the natural environment and agriculture.
Deer are vermin and should be treated as such.
— ALAN HEWETT,
Indigo Valley