Re: Loud and clear on urban deer, News, Dec. 9, 2011.
I would like to express my concerns about having a cull of the deer population. When I was looking for a new home in the Victoria area, there were three things on my list.
In order of priority they were: a view, deer and quail. I now live on Triangle Mountain and feel extremely lucky that I was able to get all three.
We are so fortunate to live in an area where we can enjoy some truly wild animals. The deer have learned to co-exist with us as we’ve taken over their natural habitat. And we complain when they have little to eat and resort to eating some of our imported foliage.
If I plant something that is especially precious to me and I don’t want the deer to nibble on it, I put a fence around it. Easy and we’re all happy. When people say they want the deer killed because their plants are eaten, I shudder. How brazen of us to consider our plants more important than a deer’s life.
When my relatives and friends from back east or from the U.S. visit, the first thing they do in the morning is look out the windows in hopes of seeing some deer.
They were thrilled this summer to see a doe and two fawns. Always the comments are about how lucky we are to live in such a place where you can drive down the street and often see such a beautiful creature.
My neighbours all drive carefully knowing that there could be a deer on the road. We all stop and wait if one is slowly crossing. We have learned to co-exist with them, too.
I understand a survey was done by the Capital Regional District asking for comments about having a cull next year. I was never asked, but I would like to add my name to the “no” list, a vehement no. And my husband votes the same way.
Sharon Noble
Colwood