LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-08 AT 05:18PM (MST)[p]
LAST EDITED ON Jun-06-08 AT 03:55 PM (MST)
Yep, Thanks for the input guys. Sore subject, i been trying to get something done about it for the past couple years. I sent letters to our fish and game, talked to Biologists and wardens, talked to some suits in Sac, coresponded with the Mt Lion foundation, even sent the below "Letter to the Editor" that was published and distrubuted through out N.Eastern Kali
----- Original Message -----
From: sageadvice
To: Debra Moore, Editor
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 4:02
Subject
EER vs MOUNTAIN LIONS, letter to editor
"Hello, I am a very concerned and involved, 4th generation, Calif.. hunter and fishermen. My family once owned ranch lands now referred to as the land bank, currently owned by the east bay regional park on Morgan Territory rd., in Contra Costa County. I was a Agriculture major at Livermore high and the University of Arizona where I studied Natural Resource Recreation.
Twenty years ago, I moved to Plumes Co. to further enjoy the outdoor opportunities this area has. I have spent countless hrs in our national forests, private ranch, farm lands, and timber co. holdings. Hunting, fishing, camping, mushrooming, firewood cutting, or simply just to explore for new areas by taking a hike. My family vacationed here near Chester during the 60's and 70's for a month every year. Then, I counted as many as 200 deer on a evening ride to a small lake for some fishing and nowadays may not see a single deer taking the same drive 5 times. The habitat, amount and quality has changed little in this area. The dept. of F & G's blanket statement that the loss of such habitat and the encroachment of man on the deer's environment as the reason for the admitted declining #'s, is insulting and a down right lie. This may be or is a factor, but a small one. Deer thrive close to populated areas. It is in the traditional backwoods habitat, where they co-exist with predators, that are becoming barren of deer. I could go on and on, but I'm limitated by space, looking for someone who cares enough. Enough to take the blinders off and go out on a limb, who knows how, to help make a difference.
We need to better manage our wildlife. We can do this in a big way by lowering the amount of prey animals that depend on deer for their food. The 1970's ban on hunting lions has run it's course, caused their numbers to increase to where I have seen 4 in the last 2 years, while only seeing 1 in the other 40+ yrs in the outdoors. Now, Game Wardens, other hunters, and ranchers agree that there are way too many big cats through out N. eastern Ca. Our deer #'s are getting to the point that deer in some areas may become extinct. It's time or past time to properly manage California's lion population. I don't advocate killing all the lions but we need to balance their # to the point that we have both a healthy deer herd and their predators. Man has this ability. I for one believe it is our duty.
You as a f&g supporter or as a group can support or encourge the people in charge of the wildlife in our state to make the changes nessasary to implement a balanced predator-prey ratio program by contacting our fish and game, state officials and biologists. Objections, yes there will be some, but it absolutely needs to be done It's got to be done, I don't want to be telling my grandson yrs from now about the time when I saw the last deer in these hills."
Well, i did get some people stirred up alright, guess how much actually got done...meetings and more meetings, you guys may even have attended some. End result, no change. They don't want to talk Lions, anything else, fine, they say, they can't do anything about the lions, They said of the vote years ago, "THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKE."
I'm open to suggestions and more than willing to help in getting this matter put right,
Joey
Livetohunt, sorry to hijack your thread, i started a new thread for the purpose of talking deer/predator problems. Joey