Letters from locals stating their opinions (Invermere primarily)

1) No life means nothing i want the people to leave the deer alone or even relocate them just dont shoot them they were in this place before we were!!! i hope the people do the right thing. Im a fully status indian and i want no i DEMAND that you not take away all the natives natural food source even if i am twelve my voice needs to be heard! all voices should be heard ALL voices

 

2) It took me awhile but I finally did it. I wrote my letter to them. This is what I put: My name is Tisha Tardif and I am writing this email to you about my concerns for the deer of Invermere. I have lived there for 19 years, and I still manage to make my way there at least once a month. I would like to inform you that in my opinion, you should call off the cull, and think of a better solution to be rid of the deer. I am very disappointed that you would even suggest a cull. These deer are like people, they eat, they breathe, they sleep, and best of all they multiply. I do not see you killing human beings; after all they do all these things as well. With that being said, I am also a Shuswap Aboriginal from the valley. The deer are one of my natural resources, once the deer are all gone in the valley I would have to resort to somewhere else. This would cost me time and money, something I do not have, unless you are willing to pay for everything that is needed to get me to and from these areas, however; I highly doubt that. If the cull were the final choice, I have but one suggestion to you and that is maybe those who were for the cull should sit there and watch it being done. Considering they were for this horrific animal torture, they can get an understanding of why there are numerous people against it. Another thing is that maybe next time someone should plan ahead for this valley, instead of resulting to “too little too late” matters. It is like karma, we should all respect mother earth creations or she might disrespect us. Thank you for your time.

 

3)The sharks die for their fins, the elephants for their tusks, the tigers for their magnificent hides, the baby seals so we can make boots and on it goes. Nothing is safe. Now Invermere's town deer get the death penalty for the petty crime of damaging peoples gardens or defending themselves from the neighbors dog. Is this a lesson we want to teach our children? If something gets in your way, (or garden) kill it. Drunk drivers, child abusers and rapists receive a far lesser sentence. Skunks and vicious dogs pose more hazard to town residents than any deer. Shall we kill them too? The deer add beautiy and serenity to our lives . Lets do something more productive with our tax dollars, and energy to better our community, not scar it..... like build a rec centre !!! STOP THE CULL

 

 

 

4)The deer rule we have invaded there home and they let us - I always had deer in my yard - yep they ate my tulip bulbs - so what!!! They are part of our home, we respect them - we don't let our dogs chase them -- they are part of our towns - let them live in peace. Be smart they are wild animals who are becoming tame this is not their choice it was forced on them. TOLERENCE people they were here first no matter which way you look at it - this is their forest being taken over by us.

5) People have villainized the deer over a few incidents that are completely peoples fault in the first place. Spreading fear and panic threw the media that if they are not killed they will stomp your dogs and your children to death. Completly unfair and bogus and people bought into it and there are now hundreds of deer on death row that have done absolutely nothing wrong

6)I don't live in Invermere anymore, but i do know what its like to live there. If you think about it, who lived there first? the animals. Who destroyed their natural habitat? the humans. Who comes to the beautiful place? Both the animals and the humans. animals for food and cause its there home, humans for the attractions and cause its their home too. Some may have come across the scare of being hurt by a deer. or maybe even the beauty of being graced by the presence of a beautiful animal like so. I don't know what is going on in Invermere, but i am hurt that the true beauty, zen and natural habitat that i grew up in of Invermere is being destroyed not by the animals, but by the humans them selves. If Invermere is prided by the nature and the mountains doesn't that mean we come( not only as a singular person, but as a community)with the obligation to stay true to it? And represent it? So I would like to ask two simple questions.

#1 Who are we(as a community) to make this decision without looking at our community as a whole and thinking, ''what other options would I look to if I was the victim?''

#2 Would we be as proud of the community ''we'' created if we put our own pride of nature and glory to shame?

so think about it, and make sure YOU, and the COMMUNITY are ready to risk your own pride. I remember being little loving the nature around me, so don't ruin the rest of whats left. I hope to show my grandchildren that beautiful place, with the animals, lakes, birds, and the people. Cause I as a person take PRIDE in where I come from, I would hope the rest of the community is to.

7) God didn't create deer so that man can trap them, kill them and "relocate" them when they start over populating. he created them so that man can feed his wife and child(ren) and enjoy them. Deer like any wild animals are to be free and wild..., not stuffed in cages, and trapped. How about we stuff THEM in a cage and trap you and put a spike in the back of your head and then say oh it will be painless and you wont even feel it. ITS THE SAME SCENARIO

 

8)Hello,

my name is Kortnie and I have lived in the Invermere area for 20 years. I understand that there is a big up roar about the deer in the area. I will not be able to make it to the metting as I have to work, so I thought writing a letter would mean all the same. My family has lived in the Invermere area for centuries and they have never had a problem with the deer. This being said, I understand how some people are irritated with the fact that they keep disturbing their gardens and flower beds and keep on eating their plants. Why is killing the deer the only "solution" there is?? Humans keep repopulating the earth, but the government doesn't kill us off just because there are so many. It is the same scenario. I also understand that most of the people complaining about the deer are either from out of town or only live here during the summer or winter. Yes they are citizens of Invermere too but we should be able to put our heads together to come up with a better solution than just killing them. I don't care if it is 1 or 100 deer being killed, people who don't have the money to buy chemically injected meat from the super markets use the deer as means of food to feed their families. Now, you can all sit there and tell us that the meat will go to good use to families who need it but I know for a fact that the food banks and other resources will not accept meat that is not properly inspected and the deer are shot by some hired hitman to kill off the deer. Yes the WILD animals are eating people's plants but that doesn't mean to say that we need to start killing them off, they are only doing what is natural to them, that is what they live off of plants and grass. It would be the same to kill off humans for buying meat or hunting meat, or buying and growing fruits and vegetables but we don't do that. So why is it so different when it comes to deer? Just because they don't have a voice doesn't make it right to kill them off. People refer to them as the "pest" when really, the humans are the pest. We develop houses, big resorts, corporate developments, and other "resources" to attract tourists just to make a quick buck. I grew up in this small town and many others alike which are all slowly staring to develop just like Invermere. I am strongly appauled that this "solution" would even be brought to the Mayor and councillors in the first place. People with gardens and flower beds should put up chicken wire and other blockages to prevent the deer from eating what they are naturally attracted to eating. My grandparents have a huge garden and huge flower beds and they have been able to keep the deer from disturbing their plants for over 20 years. Why is it so hard for the people to do the same?? The deer are not invading our home, we are invading theirs. Just to meet the so called "needs" of people who only live in Invermere part time. Think of it this way for a moment, when humans are being pests to humans we don't fly off the handle and say we'll kill them.. it's the same scenario with the deer and other animals the only difference is that they don't have a voice. Which is why some of the people strongly disagree that this is the only "solution" to the problem and we are standing up and trying to put a stop to the ridiculousness of this whole "problem". When you see the neighbours dog in your yard being a pest you don't shoot it. Instead, you put up a fence because it is in humane to kill a dog for that reason, so why is it not in humane kill the deer for that reason? The deer were here decades and decades before humans ever were and certainly before any out of towner who only lives here during the change of seasons. If any of you have ever read the Bible, God created animals so that man could have means of food and use the hides and pelts as means of clothing and footwear to stay warm. People were doing it then and they are still doing it today, why rid of something that is of many family traditions and the only means of resources to stay alive for many, many families. I understand that if the needs of the tourists weren't met than we would have less jobs and so on, but I am positive that a more humane solution could be thought of if we came together. Just because our ancestors were barbaric cave men doens't mean we have to follow their footsteps.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, I hope you think hard on the decision with your hearts.

Sincerely,

Kortnie.

 

9)Last night I got a message from a resident in Invermere. Asking me if i would go to the council meeting that is on January 24, which sadly I wont be able to attend. In reply to the message I said.
I would defiantly come to the meeting and say a few words about them killing the deer without understandable reason(s). I don't live in Invermere anymore. I can tell you this, I have lived in Invermere for most of my life, my family grew up here. Yes the deer can be a pain in out butt, eating peoples gardens, flower beds, freshly grown shrubs and/or trees you name it. Most of all, its not our faults that we have the deer problem. It's all of these Albertains and other out of town people thinking they own Invermere. Also think that they can buy however big of lots and cut the trees down from the lot. Look at the subdivision up behind DTSS, where all those houses are now used to be trees! The deer used to live up there, until people thought it was the most fabulous place to build a house and a family. Therefor the deer decided to start coming into town and live where the humans live. Eating up all of our gardens, meanwhile we destroyed their food source and home. I strongly believe that the people of Invermere, need to think this decision through. Why not get a huge group of people to help transfer the deer. It's not that we can't do it, it's people not wanting to do it. They think that the cull is the best way to go when it's not. I know there are non-lethal solutions that the council committee has brought up. So I say "NO WE SHOULD NOT KILL THE DEER!"

10)

Gabrielle Vehar: “I'm not going to rehash all the deer arguments as your minds seem pretty well made up. So I'm going to use my time to tell you my personal philosophy on how it applies, which is: All sentient beings are equal and deserving of respect and dignity. Now, while the deer are obviously included, the sentient beings I want to talk about are the human animals involved.

“First, all of those who responded in person. Because if they are in favor of the culling, most of them just want nice gardens, and they deserve the dignity that the right to put up a tall fence would afford them; and those opposed to the deer plan because we are human animals just as sensitive and sentient as everyone else, and thus deserving of the respect and dignity of being listened to and carefully considered.

“Secondly, the people who have expressed their views on the DEIS. They are deserving of respect and dignity because they care both about the nonhuman animals and the human animals who worry about getting Lyme disease, which we now know is a misapprehension, as it is not deer who spread it; and those who care about possible deer/vehicle interactions, which we can control by low speed limits, increased police control, and devices similar to Strieter-Lite reflectors.

“Third, for the sentient beings both near and far who have expressed their professional opinions of the DEIS and how it went against their sense of respect and dignity for all animals, both human and non-, by trying to perpetrate questionable science upon the village.

“Next, I would hope that those human sentient beings who would be traumatized forever by the violence being proposed would retain their right to respect by not being subjected to the killing.

“And finally, the mayor and trustees. I know that they, too, are deserving of respect and dignity regardless of whether or not we agree with them. For simply by being sentient beings, they are worthy and equal. And they will all have to live with whether or not they were able to show respect and dignity to all the worthy and sentient beings within their domain.”

 

11)You know what really bothers me is when I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time exploring up where the highschool is now and up behind blueberry as well.
I remember one year I came across a herd of 50 or so deer, and it wasn't that far from town, maybe a fifteen minute walk. The deer population has always been here and I strongly believe that there IS no deer overpopulation, they have just been forced to come down into the valley because their habitat is shrinking and they can not migrate to their feeding grounds anymore, because it is gone.

I never had to go far from Grandpa's property to see the deer in the spring and summer and fall, there was nothing there, it was wild. and to point out, even when I was little I never had a deer threaten me .However I was also taught to respect their space,and love them from afar. I remember my Grandpa and Grammy telling me that they are wild animals, they may be beautiful, but they are still wild and we want to keep it that way, To stay away from them and don't try to make them "pets". To this day I live by that rule and in order for me to truly love and honor wildlife, the best thing I can do for them is keep them wild.

I feel helpless for my wildlife, and saddened that even in this day and age people are still willing to sacrifice animals in order to accomodate our so called needs, has no one learned from past species being lost forever because of human greed? if we keep it up, we will lose our deer,cougar and bear. it happened to buffalo and there were millions of them at one point in time. What hurts me is I'm seeing things like this all over the world, and in the end, it's the animals that lose. I guess it's just easier to sacrifice the voiceless when it comes to the good old dollar bill, and sadly that will never change.

I was devastated when they started clear cutting up behind patti ryan and behind blueberry, so many people had enjoyed it's beauty and the wildlife, but because of money hungry people it was destroyed. I used to take my two pups back there all the time mountain biking or hiking and as a teen horse back riding, but now I just can't go back there it hurts me too much to see it.

I lived in Calgary for a year, and I was miserable, there were just too many people and not enough open space for me. I missed my mountains and I missed my wildlife so I came home, but now it feels like I can't even enjoy home anymore, what happened to the Invermere I knew and loved? when will wildlife be given the respect they deserve?

My grandparents are the ones who taught me to love wildlife and the outdoors, and it feels like what I raised to love and appreciate is going away. I feel defeated, and some days I just want to pack up and leave, even if it means living in a city where I can't do the things that make me who I am. But at least I won't have to see my home destroyed. To be honest I'm just tired of listening to people talk about deer like they are mindless beasts, I'm tired of my home being destroyed, and I don't want to see it anymore..

All I know is that until people are willing to coexist with wildlife and not be so quick to pull the trigger, issues like this will always be here. it sucks, and I'm tired of it. All I can do is hope that people will come to their senses and realise that we don't have a "Deer problem" deer and other wildlife have a "people problem".

 

12)To many free range cattle driving the deer to where there is food, the cattle is eating up all the vegetation for the deer and plus its cheaper for a farmer to keep their cattle free range then have to feed them themselves. Also "vicious deer " paintball the ones that are to aggressive then deal with it. People stop feeding the deer you feed of course they come back. Lack of common sense, not educating people, so much gone awry... How much to butcher 1 deer for food? Who pays for this? Could these funds be delegated differently? People want the deer to stay out of their garden all I did was google this and came up with this...

. One of the best solutions to keeping deer out of the garden is to guide the deer away from the garden. I'll cite an example here. I had a garden not too long ago that seemed to be right in the path of the local deer population. The deer walked this path almost every night and as they were passing by, nibbled any green shoots that were in reach. I knew I had to come up with some kind of control for the deer fast or there simply wouldn't be a harvest from the garden. In checking out the surrounding area in the woods around the garden, I noticed that our neighbor had set out a new salt lick for the deer. The deer seemed to stray from their normal path for this new salt lick. I thought that if I could block off their normal path and set out salt licks quite a ways away from the garden, then maybe the deer would make a new path and bypass the garden on their nightly stroll. Well, this seemed to work well this last year. I'm really confident that it may work in the future, but only time will tell.

Some other suggestions for keeping deer out of the garden are listed below:

Dogs are considered a top deterrent for keeping deer out of the garden, unless your dog is the type that lays there, raises an eyelid and basically gives anyone permission to travel across your property. Some training could be in order for your pooch, should you decide to go that route.
Fencing or netting off your garden can help to deter deer, but this can become costly depending on the size of your garden.
Some people have been known to pee, yes pee, around the garden and get successful results. I personally have tried this, very early in the morning, mind you. Had I been caught by my neighbors, they might not have thought highly of the idea. By the way, my results with this strategy failed.
There is a product on the market that works off the basis of deer not liking the smell of rotten eggs. So some people have let eggs rot and then placed them around the garden perimeter, with mixed results
We have several pet cats around the house. The deer do not approach the area around the house, ever. This is my personal observation, of course. I think it has to do with cats using the flower beds and that's where the deer like to eat and well, you know. I can understand the deer's point of view there. One reason I guess to have cats in the garden.
Growing plants that deer are not particularly fond of can also deter the deer from around your garden.
Ivory and Irish Spring soap grated around the garden have also been tried to help deter deer, but the results were also mixed.
Coyote urine, purchased at your local hunting supply, has also had pretty good results in deterring deer.
Scare tactics, like throwing rocks, spraying water, running after the deer through the woods like a mad man, yelling out wildly, can clearly convince the deer that you are quite off your rocker, and can possibly deter them until they believe you might be back on your meds.

 

13)The DEER WERE HERE LONG BEFORE ANY HUMAN WAS. They are not invading our space we are invading theirs. WE all have to learn to co-exist with them. Eventually we are going to have to quit building in their neck of the woods. If you do not want the deer in town then I suggest concil and the people of town take a collection , get grants from the Government to build fences surrounding the outskirts of town to keep them out. After all this is a tourist town and many people come here to see our wildlife and lakes, It would be a shame for these folks not to see our lovely valley and eveything we have to show them. Lets learn to get along with the animals as well as eah other.

14)My question is, when we kill all the deer in town, what is to stop MORE deer from wandering in? Do we just continue to kill them? WHERE are all these deer to be killed? In town? Is that more safe than a few deer wandering around town?

15)Education is definitely key. There are ways to co-exist and I think that it should be wonderful to have the opportunity to see these animals from a distance. If you want a urban existence move to a city where animals have hunted or chased out of there but if you are living in a beautiful country area why not appreciate the beautiful animals that live there and adapt to them.

16)Have those that have proposed slaughter as a solution gone completely mad, I cannot believe this is even an issue, afterall its not like they suddenly appeared and who is to blame that us humans have moved into there habitat....maybe the deer should consider slaugthering us....I'm confident that the present leadership if they follow through with this, will be repaid at the polls and honestly Gerri after all the good work you have done, do you really want this to be your legacy......

17)I enjoyed reading in the paper how having such a large population of deer in town was a danger to pets and small children because it attracted large predators such as cougars, if you get rid of a main food source,the mule deer, which are these predators natural food source, all thats left are pets and small children! Predatory animals will always move around in search of food, meaning they will come into town whether the deer are here or not, and if there are no deer left, they will turn on the only food source left, your kids, and beloved pets. Possible the worst proposal to ever come to this valley, i am dissapointed this was even CONSIDERED a solution to the deer "problem", they were here first, and if you dont like them, you can leave

 18)We are currently expecting our 4th child and our home is becoming extremely overpopulated but I'm not about to start shooting my children or relocating them for that matter. Like Bill I can't believe this is even an issue - does town council not have more important issues/concerns to address than the wildlife we as Canadians are blessed enough to encounter? While your home may have been built in the 1950's Gerry, the deer were still here first. As our community continues to grow we are destroying their habitat . Maybe it's not so much a matter of them becoming overpopulated as it is that they're being pushed out of their homes to coincide with ours. Deer naturally do not travel more than 2 miles from their birthplace so you may also want to consider the effect relocation might have on them. I also agree that while it is unnatural to see deer walking around with chip bags stuck in their antlers that also comes down to our responsibility to keep our neighborhoods clean. I have seen many wonderful ideas - bylaw officers enforcing the bylaws on littering, feeding the wildlife, changing the fencing bylaws, etc are all great ideas in how WE are capable of change. Gerry, you stated that you were open to hearing other solutions and yet you seem to shoot them down as quick as you would the deer. The deer are only doing what deer do, it is US - the community - who need to change our ways to accomodate the nature & animals that surround us. For those who are not happy with sharing our surroundings with wildlife maybe you should be the ones to relocate. I for one DO NOT want my tax dollars contributed in any way to this petty cause when there are more pressing issues at hand. If we are such an environmental community why harrass the environment we are lucky enough to be a part of??