It’s really interesting because when, and that’s rarely, that they reach a biological carrying capacity (or in a severe winter and no food), sperm counts go down and females, in real dire situations, will actually absorb their fetuses. Also, people mistake deer as starving in the winter because they may seem thin, ribs showing, it’s only that thyroxin (a calcium-rich hormone) regulates their metabolisms in cold weather….even iof a lot of food were available, they might not be able to absorb all the nutrition.
The best thing is to leave them alone – thousands of years, and they have been able to regulate themselves until commercial hunting almost wiped them out at the end of the last century, and states had to start managing them to bring back the herds – then they found out what a big business it can be (hunting licenses, P-R Act, etc)- now they manage for MSY. From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Kathryn Hargreaves Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 10:12 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Bow hunting Yes, I've heard from wildlife experts that the population of all species will level off at the carrying capacity (food, shelter) of the habitat, despite predation (of any sort). This is why if you want to reduce a species' population, you have to sterilize and return, so the sterilized ones take up some of that capacity. On Tue, Oct 2, 2012 at 4:27 PM, Natalie <at...@optonline.net> wrote: No, they wouldn’t reproduce the same way, that’s the whole point! According to research on reproduction, hunted herds twin only 14%, while hunted herds twin or even triple at 38%. It’s just nature’s way! In fact, predators are better hunters because they go for the sick and old animals, while hunters avoid them, thereby actually degrading the gene pool – healthier animals are not the result of hunting – that’s done at deer farms by mating the best with the best specimen, producing fantastic trophy animals. No, I do not eat any meat. From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Joslin Potter Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 2:44 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Bow hunting I agree with you, but what would happen if we didn't have a hunting season, do you think they would not still reproduce like they do now? To each their own, again, I'm just thankful for the life of a deer, and the people who do purchase linceses as this money is put back into the wild life. The funding from licenses and tags is used to insure a healthy population of wildlife in the states, including the DNR to enforce the rules... I take it you don't eat meat Natalie? It may provide your family with meat, BUT, technically, hunting doesn’t really lower deer populations except in the immediate aftermath of a cull. Next year, there will be the same number of deer, if not more, because hunting encourages and spurs reproduction through compensatory rebound and because states manage deer for MSY (maximum sustained yield). I’m sure that you will notice that the population doesn’t really go down in the long run. I have made it my business to learn as much as I can about deer biology/reproduction. Natalie From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Joslin Potter Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2012 9:48 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Bow hunting I'm thankful for deer season, it provides my family with meat, as well as keeping population under control. -Joslin
_______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
