500,000 Votes  - Missouri Jurassic Parks

I would like to know what and when the politicians such as you will come out and speak on why you are letting Chronic Wasting Disease “CWD” get a foothold in Missouri.

 Approximate 270 deer farms and ranches in Missouri are putting at risk 1.3 million deer in Missouri, 500,000 hunters at risk and more than $690 million directly related to deer hunting in Missouri each year. Deer hunting in Missouri annually generates more than $1 billion of overall business activity and supports more than 11,000 jobs.

But I am sure we have money to spare!!!

I don’t think you want to see in the Headlines the total Eradication of Missouri Elk after 150 years of trying to get them back that just been re-introduced because of outbreak of CWD.

I don’t think you want to see in the Headlines the total Eradication of Missouri Areas of Whitetail Deer since one of Missouri Great Success Stories of restoring deer population since 1937 because of outbreak of CWD.

CWD found in two free-ranging deer from Macon County

Two positive results for Chronic Wasting Disease are first for free-ranging deer in Missouri.

http://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/cwd-found-two-free-ranging-deer-macon-county

I say in this case where there is smoke there is fire. Someone trying to sell out has little reason to care. Just think when they are done with the USDA they could donate the land to the MDC get a big tax credit and the Missouri would end up with a high fence mess. This has already happen in another state.

http://mda.mo.gov/news/2011/Chronic_Wasting_Disease_Found_in_Captive_Deer

and

http://www.cwd-info.org/index.php/fuseaction/news.detail/ID/ba4cc1370a6b506f158f8631ffa7fa0d

and

http://www.landbrokermls.com/Property/15986/Price-Reduced-Heartland...

There has been a ranch in my area of the state for 20 years and it has 8 foot fence and albino deer have got out of it and that is why we have so many albino deer in this area.

You can't tell me deer one side of the fence doesn’t come nose to nose with wild deer on the other side throughout the year.

I viewed 116 deer on my 81 acres this year hunting, 30 yards from my property line a deer farmer, that has no grass inside the pen has 20 to 30 head of deer in a 8 foot single fence.

So this is a real issue. By the way his property is connecting to 9000 acres of Missouri Conservation Area and another 10,000 acres just down the road.

They can't even selectively test for CWD near deer farms or ranches because that would be something like profiling. Uggg

Now your Deer Biologist has the solutions but don’t have backing of the politicians.

Don’t get me wrong, deer farmers should be allowed to make a living, but 8 foot fence. Single perimeter fence, a voluntary testing if they don’t sell outside the state is not getting the job done.

Also forgot, CWD can also lead to the game and fish department to ban all mineral feeding and supplement feed.

So you can watch your right to mineral licks and feeding stations which are the best locations to game camera deer before season starts disappear. Just watch.

Why do I keep going back in my mind Jurassic Park Quote "Nature always finds a way"

Politicians will be the ones to blame if this get worse!!! So earn my vote and the vote of 500,000 other deer hunters.

1. Double Fence and Double Gates on Deer Farms
2. Rain runoff controlled on Deer Farms.
3. Mandatory testing on ALL deer farms.
4. 2’-0” x 45 degree angle to inside of fence on all deer farms.

Are just some simple examples.

I had suggested this to Rod Jetton 2005 and Jason Crowell in 2009 and 2012. Have also sent this to all Governor, my house of representative in 2012. I don’t see any movement why is that?

There are states like Ohio using antlers scores to determine poaching; I believe this to be a wrong path.

Ask Private Land Conservationist in Ripley County then Bollinger County what the No. 1 problem with deer management is and he will tell you poaching.

Same for a lot of counties in Southeast Missouri and I am sure other parts of the state.

What I had recommended to Mr. Jetton and Mr. Crowell was based of economic impact.

One Deer (Buck or Doe)

Effects One Missouri Citizens this way that legally hunts, so it is stealing from the Missouri Economy.

1. License to hunt

2. Products to go hunting with - Bows, Guns, Ammo, Clothes, Stands, Blinds, etc

3. Vehicle to go hunting with and everything that goes with it

4. Gas to go hunt

5. Possible Hotel

6. Processing

7. Taxidermy - Shoulder Mount for Bucks and even Doe or skins tanned

Since 93% is private land in Missouri – additional items effected by poaching of wildlife Management.

8. Clearing land

9. ATV, tractors and other food plot equipment

10. Food Plot seed

11. Fertilizer

12. Lime

13. Tree Planted

So you can see how taking one Deer can eliminate products need and sold by Missourians.

So why are we ALLOWING judges to have someone pay 100 dollars for poaching or ALLOW it to be plea bargain down to something else.

Missouri Department of Conservation Enforcement Officers the ones on the ground need to be part of the committee to help draw up new enforcement. They may not be able to make the laws but they are the ones that enforce them and have seen it all.

So accidents do and will happen,

1. Kid shoots the wrong type of deer in counties with antler restrictions.
2. Adult shoots wrong type of deer in counties with antler restrictions.
3. Shooting just before legal hour or shooting just after legal hours.
4. Hunter hits more than one deer or wrong deer in a herd.

It does happen and will happen, but game wardens are able to investigate and determine those outcomes.

But history also shows that the same minor infractions above paragraph are being fined for the same major crimes below.

1. Endangering Person and Property in the process of poaching a deer while shooting from road.
2. Attempting to shoot a deer from the vehicle or Killing a deer or other wildlife from the road.
3. Hunting at night.
4. Attempting to or shooting a decoy deer from a road way.
5. Trespassing and poaching on someone else property.
6. Poaching bucks for the intents to sell the antler for profit.

I am sure Game Wardens even have more suggestions.

Why these are all treated the same and why are we allowing Judges to treat these same.

Please show some support and pass a bill and work with the MDC enforcement officers on the ground and get it to 2000 minimum dollar fine to unlimited amount max. Which I believe this amount is typical of one acre cost of hunting land and basically what is being stolen from the Missouri Economy.

Keep this in mind I worked for a company that would pay for Record Whitetail Deer and went to extreme lengths to verify it was legally taken. Deer in this category are worth up to 1 million dollars and much more in endorsement so you that is why I don’t show a Maximum amount for fine.

Taking hunting license away is great but does not solve the problem a piece of paper does not stop someone that is breaking the law already. But taking their firearms does.

MISSOURI HISTORY Did you know that the Missouri whitetail deer population is estimated at over 1 million? Every resident of Missouri should be proud of this accomplishment and all the other great management success stories in Missouri like the wild turkey restoration.

I hear this statement all the time. “I can remember when I never saw a deer”. The Missouri Department of Conservation has helped the landowners of Missouri bring the deer population of back from the 15,000 all time low in 1944.

When management and conservation are great success in any state and when progress and growth of Missouri cities and towns come together bring new responsibilities, which city leaders should not ignore or it may cost you and me.

LEARN FROM MISTAKES  What makes Missouri so special is our motto. SHOW-ME, in this case it can’t be any clearer.

If you have not been to Town & Country, Missouri just south of St. Louis let me save you a trip. They have a huge deer problem; I mean a HUGE deer problem.

When great habitat is available the deer population runs around 20 to 25 deer per square mile and population controls are intact like hunting there are very few problems.

In Town & Country the deer population runs around 65 deer per square mile and no hunting is allowed. But, they did talk the Missouri Department of Conservation into allowing trapping.

They trapped deer for the 3 years. The Missouri Department of Conservation told the city officials for trapping to be affective that 120 whitetail does per year would have to be taken for a total of 360. This is at the expense of the city.

The Missouri Department of Conservation also told the city, and just for you information removing bucks has little to no effect on future deer population, just on the current population.

Well this is how it went.  Show Me

The first year 59 does and 21 bucks were trapped.
Second year 44 does and 13 bucks.
Third year 48 does and 48 bucks.
So they removed a total of 151 does, less than half needed in three years. They also removed total of 82 bucks.

So they removed 233 whitetail deer and relocated them. The cost was more than 350 dollars per deer. Around $82,000 in tax dollars is what it cost the city

Almost forgot. 7 out of 10 of the deer died later of stress of being trapped. A common effect when wild deer are trapped. So around 161 deer died a slow and painful death and remember the city residents and city council are against hunting. I guess the statement, out of sight out of mind comes into play.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has not and will never again issue permit for trapping deer. This has also ceased in Town and Country also.

You may be thinking this does not affect you, since you live in a small town.

Well the another method that the Human Society of the United States the most Anti Hunting Group in the Country, also continues to encourage state wildlife agencies, communities, and parks to use a type of birth control to manage free ranging wildlife species, including whitetails deer.

The leading wildlife biologist considers this to be a complete waste of time not counting it cost more money per animal than trapping. Wildlife biologist will tell you that hunting is the only solution, when it comes to managing deer population that is out of control.

They are still fighting this issue today in Town and Country, they just spent $300,000 plus to sterilize 100 deer only to turn around and finally hire someone to kill the deer now.

This is just one example of one of the many 35 mm photos I took of deer at the corner of Sprigg and Bertling in the early 1990’s.