No Kill Zone

When a man wantonly destroys one of the works of man we call him a vandal. When he destroys one of the works of God we call him a sportsman. ~Joseph Wood Krutch

It's deer hunting season once again in NC, and I am starting to hear gunshots around our home in the woods and on the mountain. Of course the nearby State Park is off limits, but this area surrounding us is open territory, or so that's what hunters think. Now I know that not all hunters are inconsiderate and disrespectful, but some are, and they don't care whose property they go on in search of deer or turkey or whatever wildlife they are interested in shooting.

I recently heard a story of this happening from a friend who lives three miles up the road... of course the hunters left the unwanted deer parts along the side of the road where my friend and his dogs could find it and deal with it. This happens a lot around our area, and wandering dogs are often hit by cars and injured or killed because they are drawn to the smell and cross the road in search of a tasty snack. Hunters don't think about that after-effect of their sport, I suppose.

And I am also not too fond of those hunters who tempt deer by placing out deer corn or other treats to lure them into their sights. I have to say that I was quite proud and warmly drawn to my husband when he told me of the time he was out walking in the woods and came across such a stash of corn... he peed all over it, thereby giving the deer a better chance!

We have enjoyed a family of deer on our property, and in our front yard, quite a bit during the summer and fall. The above photo captured them one summer afternoon, but the little fawn has grown quite a lot over the past few months and it worries me that a hunter will catch one of these beauties in his sights one day soon. Perhaps I should put out deer corn in my yard to keep this family close by! I know the pros of hunting... keeping the deer population from getting out of control, feeding the rural folks in our area who often rely on that meat for the coming months. But I also know that I could not hunt and kill, and I do not want anyone doing it on my property or in the nearby woods, and I do not want hunters to use my property to access other areas.

So my husband suggested that I call the sherriff's department to see what needs to be done about posting legitimate No Trespassing and No Hunting signs. That way, if someone does come on the property, we can call the sherriff's office and press charges, if we so desire. Of course one would hope that the signs would be enough to ward off hunters so those kinds of measures don't need to be taken. I believe I will follow through with this on Monday, and perhaps if there are signs down on the main road at our private road and drive, hunters will think twice before coming in our direction. And perhaps with luck, we can continue to enjoy the visits of that beautiful family of deer in the coming year.