Deer me!

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Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 5:30 pm  //  Tip Johnson

A couple weeks ago, I heard a disturbing sound coming from the back yard, like someone ripping siding off the garage. I grabbed my headlamp and ran out back. Two bucks were vigorously clashing their racks as a couple does stood by watching the fun. I shone the light on them and fully expected them to move on. But no, they stopped fighting, turned toward me and the larger buck put his head down, snorted and started hoofing the ground. I retreated behind the willow and blinked my light at them a few times. They both moved closer and I decided discretion was safer than valor. I went back inside and they recommenced their contest.

A week later, the granddaughter and her mom were charged by a doe with yearlings while taking the path over to the neighbors. It was a symbolic charge, stopping well short of them, but startling enough to get them scurrying on their way and insecure about coming back without some backup. Aggressive behavior is common in urban deer. According to some reports, 5 to 10 people are killed by deer every year in the U.S.

Recently, it has not been uncommon to see four or five deer in the yard. On one weekend, I saw three different bucks. Doe or buck, when they are interested in the apples or the garden, no amount of shooing will move them more than a couple feet. I sometimes throw windfalls at them while yelling and waving my arms. Often they move off to where the apple landed and stop to eat it. I even found a couple bottle rockets left over from the Fourth and was amazed to watch the deer flinch and look around, but then start grazing again as if nothing had happened.

I like critters and all that, but geez, there's a limit. They have pruned some of the trees quite badly. They've eaten more than their share of the apples. They literally decimated the garden earlier this year. I know several folks in the neighborhood who have packed a lot of good money and time into building fences to keep out the roving hoards.

But the damage and mitigating expenses are just the start. I want to chase them out of the yard, but twice this has corresponded with passing vehicles slamming on their brakes or horn. Deer collisions are a known problem with increasing urban deer populations and those can be nasty wrecks since the deer often come through the window of the car. So now I chase them out the back. However, this just sends them to my neighbors' yards. Really not the best solution.

It gets worse. Deer carry quite a few diseases that can affect humans. They are notorious reservoirs of E. Coli. That creates risk for children who are more likely to pick up a windfall than find a way to reach fruit still high up in the trees. But there's more. Deer carry ticks. Several tick-borne diseases can affect humans and pets. Some can be serious. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus or blue tongue virus can affect humans, though rarely. Also rarely, bovine tuberculosis carried by deer can affect humans. There are other diseases, like spongiform encephalitis, that can spread through the herd and transmit to domestic animals, though transmission to humans is undocumented.

However cute these critters are, they definitely increase health risks in the human community, whether through aggression, collision, or disease. But that's not my biggest fear.

With all the young, tender yearlings ambling about, I have already heard an increase in coyote activity here on the southside in the Padden/Connelly drainage. I'm not too concerned about coyotes, but how long do they have to yip and yelp before Mr. Cougar decides to check out the commotion? Not likely? Well, I can show you a cedar tree up the Padden gorge with two deer skeletons hidden under the canopy. Not too many years ago, a sheep was killed by a cougar a block from my house. Game officials took a plaster cast of a paw print and figured it was a 150 pound male.

We all like critters, but when is enough enough? The prospect of big cats casing the joint for tender vittles makes me downright nervous with a three year old grandkid in the yard. It may be less likely than acquiring E. Coli from a tasty looking windfall, but the end result is more certain.

In my opinion, It doesn't make sense to let the deer population run out of control in an urban setting. There are too many risks and some of them are quite serious. Should we wait until someone is hurt by aggression or collision, until a child suffers kidney failure from E. Coli, is sickened with Lyme disease or killed by a cougar? How many deer are just too many? Is it time for officials in charge of these critters to assess those risks and come up with some kind of management plan?

Mike Rostron  //  Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 5:55 pm

May I suggest a venison main course for the Christmas dinner, with perhaps a squirrel appetizer? 
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/martin/wildrecipes/wgrven32.htm
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/martin/wildrecipes/wgrsq3.htm

Happy holidays!

Tip Johnson  //  Sat, Nov 26, 2011, 9:24 pm

Believe me, I have thought about it. Turns out, first, you can’t hunt in the City.  Second, you can’t hunt without a license.  You are allowed to kill deer on your property if they threaten you, or if they are causing “commercial” damage.  However in the latter case, this is permitted only after devising a plan to prevent or discourage the deer.  This plan is apparently submitted to Fish and Game for review and approval. Then, when all efforts have failed, you might get a “shot” at otherwise reducing the problem.  In either case, you don’t get to keep the deer, but are required to call officials immediately for pick up.

Vince Biciunas  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 12:14 am

I agree it’s a problem. It’s one thing to protect my veggie garden with a sturdy fence, but like you, Tip, I’m more worried about the aggressive potential and the disease vector. I already have a young relative in the Bremerton area suffering from Lyme Disease. That’s one too many.

This morning, we observed three young bucks and one doe in our front yard. Pretty, maybe, but unwanted.

Hue Beattie  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 5:02 am

I think the cougars prefer deer to dear ones .I have deer in the yard frequently. They started hanging out years ago when the powers that be started locking up the stay dogs.

jack petree  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 10:57 am

Jack O. Petree says,

Tip,

You don’t live in an urban setting.  The southside, with you playing a leading role, has worked for, and achieved, a density lower than many of the rural acres you have worked to force growth upon.

When you work to maintain a neighborhood to mostly be habitat for wildlife you should be unsurprised to experience the joys of wildlife.

John Servais  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 4:31 pm

Jack - that comment is deceptive, false and, as is usual with your writing, dissembling.  First, Tip and all of us in Happy Valley, worked to make our neighborhood the highest density neighborhood in the city.  You know that.  Second, the close packed neighborhoods suffer from the deer blight - including South Hill. 

Your comment implies that parks and natural areas are a reason we should tolerate pests.  Regardless of whether we live in apartments or 5,000 square feet urban lots, we should not have to worry about deer eating our roses, raccoons killing our cats and coyotes killing dogs.  A civilized city should have means to transport out, harvest or kill such animals.  We don’t.  The issue is not that large home lots or natural parks must cause us to shut up and bear it.  It is rather what we might do to mitigate the problem of too many wild animals in our cities.

Clayton Petree  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 4:46 pm

I read the entire story as a parody the first time through.  This city has worked very hard to have interconnected greenway corridors, not only for humans but for animals to have a place to go, to pass through, and live.  To complain when that actually happens hadn’t even occured to me.  We have a million deer running around here by my house but our dogs menacing bark seems to keep them off our property.  There was also a smallish black bear walking around in some back yards about three blocks away from here and there have been numerous cougar and bobcat sightings.  The bobcats seem to stare you down when you ride near them at night on Galbraith.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/

Rick Anderson  //  Sun, Nov 27, 2011, 6:09 pm

I find it surprising that someone who has worked and fought so long and hard to establish our Greenways corridors, especially on the Southside, is now bothered by the natural results.  Maybe a high rise condo is the solution for those who don’t want to co-exist with the animals who inhabited our city long before we arrived.  If I were a deer I would feel like the victim of a bait and switch scheme right now.

Wendy Harris  //  Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 1:57 am

It is my understanding that the State hunting policies in Washington and other states are responsible for the large number of deer.  Bucks are hunted in winter (the biggest, most healthy bucks that should be passing on their DNA).  This leads to a surplus of does, and in the springtime, that results in an artificially high deer population.  This, of course, provides the justification for the need to hunt deer to keep the populations down.  If we left them alone, we would not have as many problems.  Common fact that most hunting policies are intended to allow the proliferation of more hunting.

P.S. I am going out on a limb and guessing this will not be a popular comment.

jack petree  //  Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 10:13 am

Jack O. Petree says:

John,

Happy Valley is not the most dense neighborhood in the city.  You’re not even second but that doesn’t impact your argument, thanks to the student population and those four and five bedroom apartments it is pretty dense.

However, it is absolutely sourrounded by lands I accurately described as having densities similar to or lower than many rural neighborhoods. 

You wow me with your “civilized city” comment.  I guess you really thought it was the “hunnerd aker wood” and would only be populated by Winnie and Tigger and Eore.  SUPRISE!

Tip Johnson  //  Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 12:33 pm

We have always had the occasional deer. That’s normal and, of course, Bambi is always a delight.  What is not normal - relative to 36 years of observing the same yard - are herds of deer, deer sparring, deer charging, and destroying trees and gardens.  Nope, that has never happened before.  O.K., we may be partly responsible.  Our dog died year before last and we have not hired a replacement.  That could be part of it.  However, what I am suggesting is that the deer population is totally out of control and that overpopulation carries risks to the community.  That’s an issue with or without greenways, habitat corridors or the “hunnerd aker wood”.

I really enjoy the logic of, ‘Gee, if you don’t like deer, you should have paved over paradise long ago’ or ‘Support higher density for fewer deer’, at least as a point of humor!

jack petree  //  Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 2:01 pm

Tip,

You do know deer meat is best when poached?

Christy Nieto  //  Mon, Nov 28, 2011, 9:22 pm

Just a few weeks ago a dog on Park Ridge Rd., behind Fairhaven Middle School, was killed by a buck. Yikes. I have to admit that growing up in a wooded suburb, I didn’t know that deer did such things!

Wendy, your comment makes perfect sense.

Todd Granger  //  Thu, Dec 01, 2011, 11:30 pm

Heck,
For 42 bucks you can shop local, and shoot local too. Stick Flinging, till the end of the month, or musket till the 15th.

Shoot Local, it’s organic!

Will Lake Whatcom Watershed Reconveyance Be Approved?

Mon, May 21, 2012, 3:14 pm  //  Wendy Harris

After years of debate, the County Council may be requesting that DNR approve the Reconveyance

0 comments

Last chance, file for PCO

Fri, May 18, 2012, 11:27 am  //  Riley Sweeney

A short plea for public involvement from Riley

0 comments

Specializing in German vehicles.

DRONES!

Thu, May 17, 2012, 10:43 am  //  Tip Johnson

Footage overlooking the Fairhaven area

4 comments; last on May 21, 2012

Cascadia Weekly again on target with the Port

Wed, May 16, 2012, 4:15 pm  //  John Servais

In today's Cascadia Weekly, Tim Johnson analyses the Port Commissioner meeting and the shenanigans of Walker and Chmelik.

0 comments

City Staff Lacks Impartiality On Dock Closure

Tue, May 15, 2012, 7:32 pm  //  Wendy Harris

A City staff memo on the Bloedel dock closure reads more like an advocacy brief

0 comments

Port Commission Expansion to be on November Ballot

Mon, May 14, 2012, 6:07 pm  //  John Servais

Port Commissioners McAuley and Jorgensen voted to put on November ballot the question of expanding commission from 3 to 5 members.

5 comments; last on May 15, 2012

Cascadia Weekly Rips Port - Urges 5

Wed, May 09, 2012, 6:11 am  //  John Servais

Today's Cascadia Weekly rips the Port staff on changed waterfront plans and sees 5 commissioners as possible solution to poor decision making.

2 comments; last on May 10, 2012

R.G. Haley Site: Will Funding Come With a Side of Dioxin?

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Dioxin contaminated sediment dredged from Squalicum Harbor, dumped at the Cornwall Landfill, may be spread across the R.G. Haley site.

0 comments

Port and City Provide The Truth But Not the Whole Truth

Sat, May 05, 2012, 12:13 am  //  Wendy Harris

Treaty Rights and Public Rights Ignored During Joint Port/City Meeting on Status of Waterfront Redevelopment

1 comments; last on May 07, 2012

Port 5 - Hour of Audio Information

Thu, May 03, 2012, 9:23 pm  //  John Servais

The Joe Show had John Servais on the air for a full hour on Thursday - and we link to the pod cast.

3 comments; last on May 05, 2012

New Facebook Page for Port Reform

Tue, May 01, 2012, 10:24 am  //  John Servais

Bellingham Port Reform has a Facebook page, courtesy of Tip Johnson.

1 comments; last on May 02, 2012

Port Loses New Boat Builder Tenant

Tue, May 01, 2012, 9:34 am  //  John Servais

Port of Bellingham signed lease a month ago to hoopla and now the boat builder is exiting for Anacortes.

11 comments; last on May 08, 2012

Speakers to address Port on Tuesday

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Several people will be urging the Port of Bellingham commissioners to place the question of expanding to 5 commissioners on the ballot.

0 comments

5 Port Commissioners Initiative Now Circulating

Sat, Apr 28, 2012, 10:09 am  //  John Servais

A county wide initiative will allow voters to decide whether to expand the Port of Bellingham commission from 3 to 5 commissioners.

1 comments; last on Apr 28, 2012

Ron Paul Delegates Railroaded at Whatcom GOP Convention

Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 12:07 pm  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley attended the Whatcom GOP Convention and reports back

1 comments; last on Apr 29, 2012

Charlie Sheldon has Herald Op-Ed

Tue, Apr 24, 2012, 9:25 am  //  John Servais

Today's Bellingham Herald carries an article from Sheldon, with facts, falsehoods and his perspective on his forced resignation as Executive Director of the Port of Bellingham.

0 comments

The Road to Nowhere Can Go Forward

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Developers are gaming the system with help from the county government - and big changes are made in multiple small changes.

1 comments; last on Apr 27, 2012

Earth Day Alert:  Rocket Donuts to throw Fairhaven trees in the Deepfry

Sun, Apr 22, 2012, 7:28 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Will donuts prove more important than street trees?

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Video of port commissioners is posted

Wed, Apr 18, 2012, 12:28 pm  //  John Servais

A 26 minute video of the port commissioners explaining their positions on the firing of executive director Charlie Sheldon is posted.

7 comments; last on Apr 19, 2012

Port Meeting Today, Tuesday, at 3 p.m.

Tue, Apr 17, 2012, 12:51 pm  //  John Servais

At 3 p.m. today - Tuesday, April 17 - the Port of Bellingham meets. Let's attend and support rehiring Charlie Sheldon.

3 comments; last on Apr 18, 2012

100 years ago, at 5:38 p.m. today Bellingham time

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The Titanic struck the iceberg at 11:40 p.m. This post is non political - unless you want to draw a parallel with recent Port of Bellingham events.

0 comments

Jim Jorgensen May Reverse His Vote

Fri, Apr 13, 2012, 5:47 pm  //  John Servais

Friday update: Herald reports Jim Jorgensen could change his mind on firing of Port of Bellingham Executive Director Charlie Sheldon

3 comments; last on Apr 17, 2012

Two Port Commissioners Held Illegal Meeting

Tue, Apr 10, 2012, 8:52 pm  //  John Servais

An illegal serial Port Commission meeting should be investigated by the State Auditor, and two commissioners should be made accountable for their actions.

5 comments; last on Apr 11, 2012

A Time for Port Reform

Sun, Apr 08, 2012, 11:33 am  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the shenanigans start smelling too fishy to tolerate

1 comments; last on Apr 11, 2012

Padden Trails.  It Is Not About Infill; It Is About Profits

Sat, Apr 07, 2012, 2:05 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

The issue is not sprawl or infill, but the money to be made by the type of infill and its placement

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Growth, Sprawl & Infill:  Padden Trails Project

Fri, Apr 06, 2012, 8:16 am  //  Guest writer

Ken Mann writes a guest article of his personal support for the Padden Trails development inside the Bellingham city limits.

3 comments; last on Apr 07, 2012

Petition to Keep Charlie Sheldon is Online

Thu, Apr 05, 2012, 4:00 pm  //  John Servais

An Online petition has been posted where citizens can sign on to request the Port Commissioners revote on Charlie Sheldon's termination.

5 comments; last on Apr 06, 2012

We Can Expand Port Commission to Five

Wed, Apr 04, 2012, 3:16 pm  //  John Servais

State law allows us to pass an initiative and increase the number of port commissioners from three to five. Thanks to Harriet Spanel.

4 comments; last on Apr 05, 2012

Two Commissioners Demanded Charlie Resign

Tue, Apr 03, 2012, 6:25 pm  //  John Servais

Port Commissioner Mike McAuley did everything he could do to change Jim Jorgensen's mind. Jim and Scott Walker forced Charlie Sheldon out.

6 comments; last on Apr 06, 2012

Questions about Population Growth

Mon, Apr 02, 2012, 12:43 pm  //  Larry Horowitz

Where to begin? Misinformation. Disinformation. Truths. Myths. Same old, same old. Paradigm shift. GMA. OFM. Growth pressures. Population loss. Growth subsidies. Proportionate share.

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Charlie Sheldon resigns as Port Director

Mon, Apr 02, 2012, 12:35 pm  //  John Servais

This morning, Charlie Sheldon, unexpectedly resigned as Executive Director of the Port of Bellingham.

10 comments; last on Apr 03, 2012

Mayor Kelli comes through for voters

Mon, Apr 02, 2012, 1:03 am  //  John Servais

A thanks to Kelli Linville for her quiet and effective solution to the onerous red light cameras dilemma.

0 comments

City Has No Love For Fish and Wildlife

Thu, Mar 29, 2012, 10:32 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Development at Bloedel Park ignores impacts to important shoreline habitat

2 comments; last on Mar 31, 2012

Padden Trails Provides Infill

Mon, Mar 19, 2012, 1:07 am  //  Guest writer

Guest writer Bill Geyer, who is the consultant for the Padden Trails Development, presents facts and perspective on the development.

34 comments; last on Apr 15, 2012

Useful Police Activity Visualization Now Online

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A new private website displays crimes by dates, on a Bellingham map, or by graphs for all citizens to use.

5 comments; last on Mar 21, 2012

Sunnyland neighborhood asks for support

Thu, Mar 15, 2012, 2:11 pm  //  Guest writer

By guest writer Mike Rostron. Sunnyland residents support infill but not overfill. The old Department of Transportation site on Sunset is the development site.

40 comments; last on Mar 19, 2012

NWCitizen upgrade is completed

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Just a short note about nwcitizen past few weeks effort

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2012-2013 Priorities from City Council

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The City Council outlines their agenda for the coming year

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The Curious Disappearance of Bob Ferris

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Riley gets to the bottom of this in a NWCitizen Exclusive

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Padden Trails is Chuckanut Ridge Lite

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Yet another neighborhood wants the Planning Department to protect public health, safety, and general welfare

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0 comments

 

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