the ugly death of a deer

[Koch Ebola]

My wife and I confront a hunter after he killed a deer.
https://stephenjaymorrisblog.tumblr.com/post/636576515190046720/the-ugly-death-of-a-deer-by-stephen-jay-morris

[MontanaFarmer]

1. I won't argue the merits of hunting with you.

You and your wife clearly have an opinion you've formed with thoughtfulness and consideration, and i respect that. The one question i will ask is about the deer's "violent death," as you say. Undoubtedly true; bullets are violently lethal. From your description, the death was also basically instantaneous. What makes a hunter killing a deer more unconscionable to the life of that deer than any of the other ways an animal dies in nature? Most are violent, all cause suffering greater than a hunter's projectile. Being torn apart from back to front by a coyote or wolf is a violent death, no? Starvation in a winter where that deer could no longer quite keep up with the demands her body had would be drawn-out and painful, I'd imagine. My point is this: there are hunters who do so with good intentions, not to satisfy blood-lust but to connect with their food in an intensely personal way, to feel something very real in their hands, to learn about nature as a participant not an observer.
Again, I'm not here to criticize your opinion; you're entitled to that and witnessing something so close to home, with a deer that you knew from watching, is certainly startling. And i don't know that hunter, i only know myself and some like me, and i just wanted you to consider the possibility that hunters love deer, too, want deer to continue to flourish, and possess a humanity for the things we kill and eat. Thanks for reading, fire away.

[PJMcK]

2. A compelling story

Hunting is a very complex and personal issue and Mr. Morris states his case with sincerity.

Our house is also in the Catskills and we're surrounded by mountainous woodlands that are populated by lots of wonderful wildlife. In addition to the deer, we've seen bears, bald eagles, raccoons and even a white skunk! We are not hunters. Around the perimeter of our land, we've posted no trespassing signs and the hunters have respected the boundaries. In fact, the people that I know around here who hunt are respectful of private property and the laws and regulations that apply.

I don't own any guns. That's my personal choice. I've come to that decision because I believe weapons are too dangerous. But I'm agnostic on guns for several reasons. Most importantly, there are simply too many guns in the United States. There are more guns than people! Even with the most draconian laws, we'll never get rid of the weapons. Besides, the truth is that most gun owners are responsible. This has to be true. Otherwise the volume of shootings would blast off the charts.

A minor point for Mr. Morris. He might consider a minor edit to his bio. He wrote, "I went to night school at night..." At what other time would he go to night school?

Thanks for the post, Koch Ebola. It's a thoughtful piece.

[Botany]

3. At least he could post a picture of the right kind of deer w/his writing

That is a red deer (Europe and parts of Asia) not a white tailed deer which would be the
type of deer in upstate NY. The North American White Tailed Deer population is out of
control and needs to be thinned out greatly.

[MontanaFarmer]

4. Exactly.

And if hunting doesn't do the thinning, things like vehicles, hemorrhagic diseases, and ultimately chronic wasting disease will. I could make the argument that from the deer's perspective, all those examples are a more traumatic and suffering-filled death than that by the hand of a skilled hunter. A complex debate, for sure, but one worth having as we democrats set out to reclaim some stature in rural America.

[Botany]

5. That article doesn't pass my smell test. That deer pix is just clip art from the internet.

I can't image anybody who lives in a rural areas in the Catskill mts. who are still in love
with bambi on their property.

Come to the east where white tail deer have browsed out our forests so we don't see the
spring wildflowers, the box turtle, the wood thrush, and other native plants and animals.

I have a friend in Wisconsin that has a big nursery that raises native plants and the deer
are a real pain in the ass. BTW I have a family member with lyme disease and just about
everybody who works where he does have the disease too.

I just lost 5 nice hemlocks that I planted last year to a buck's rubbing them with his horns.