Letter: Deer hunting needed for balance
A deer in Heckscher State Park in East Islip. (June 15, 2011) Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
I am amazed at the lack of knowledge displayed by the author of "Wildlife area's no refuge" [Letters, July 19], in response to deer hunting on the Wertheim Refuge in Shirley. This refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, which applies the results of careful scientific research to its practices.
Wertheim officials hope to thin the deer herd from 50 or 60 deer per square mile to 20 or 30. This will not only reduce the number of deer-car collisions and deer consuming ornamental plants in adjacent residential areas, it will also improve the habitat for other wildlife, including birds and small animals.
Officials are simply using responsible hunters to achieve their management goals while also providing a recreational opportunity. I recommend that people research the issue before giving a purely emotional response.
Chris Geminski, Southampton
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