Hunters, on the other hand, while also selective killers, select the best deer which increases the chance of survival for the old, weak and injured.  The overall effect is extremely destructive.  Without the best animals to reproduce, the smaller, weaker animals reproduce smaller, weaker offspring.  Hunting magazines often ask such questions as "Whatever happened to the sixteen point Berkshire buck?" The answer is that he was probably killed by some hunter.

DEC and PIPC Claim that Deer are Destroying the Understory
This year the DEC has dropped its claim that the deer are starving and instead they claim that the deer are destroying the understory in the parks.  Understory is the ground cover, grasses and low bushes and shrubs that deer browse. The amount of understory that grows depends on a number of factors.  Not the least important is the state of the forest itself.   Most of Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks represent a forest in a mature stage.  The trees are old enough and their branches full enough to block the sun from the ground.  This prevents much ground cover from growing.  Many state parks and national forests use a forest management technique called "prescribed burns" in small areas to allow new growth to occur.  This would not only benefit the deer but it would provide summer habitat for many North American songbirds that are disappearing from our forests.  The PIPC does not use "prescribed burns" in Harriman or Bear Mountain State Parks.

Does Hunting Solve the Overpopulation Problem?
Most animals respond to their environment.  They reproduce and populate as much as their environment can sustain and no more.  Deer are no exception.  If the environment can sustain more deer, then the deer will reproduce more. If the environment will not sustain the present number of deer, then some will fall to starvation and the birth rate will drop accordingly.

Tampering with deer populations by hunting pressures the deer into responding by overproducing.  Deer, who are normally monogamous, become polygamous.  One buck may mate with as many as 15 does.  The only way that hunting could effectively reduce deer populations would be to hunt the females capable of breeding and not the males.  When asked why the special permits for the hunt last year allowed for the killing of bucks, DEC responded that they could not get hunters to come if they did not allow them to hunt bucks.

By killing the bucks, hunters pressure the deer into reproducing more offspring and the population goes up, not down.  The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge  in New Jersey allowed hunting for the first time in 1974--to reduce the size of the deer herd.  Last year they publicly stated that their deer hunting program was successful and yet there are 50% more deer there now than there were in 1974.

The winter in Harriman was severe last year and starvation did occur. The deer here are in a natural population decline and the population (by DEC estimates) is down about 30% from last year.  Hunting at this point is not only totally unnecessary but could prove extremely destructive.

What About Other Park Users?
While the hunt is going on, that area of the park will be closed to all
except hunters with a permit to be there. What of those people who
frequent the park to enjoy watching wildlife?  Until last year these deer were free from the fear of people.  With a little daution you could get quit close to watch them.  This is no longer true where hunting is allowed. Deer quickly learn to run from man.

Why should hunters--big game hunters who make up about 3% of the American public--be allowed to become "dominant" park users?

Parks are managed with taxpayer dollars.  As a park user you have a right to voice your opinion on how parks are managed.  Please let your opinion be known.                                                                       continued   
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