Deer an Excuse to Implement Hunting Program?

The tagline at the top of the home page for the Forest Preserve District of Will County (IL) reads, "Bringing People and Nature Together."

But I doubt deer hunting is what they had in mind when they chose that slogan.

Nevertheless, as I wrote last week, the forest preserve board of commissioners and the Will County Board (which appear to contain the same people) are considering allowing the murder of white-tailed deer.

The proposal is being pushed by some members of the forest preserve board, with the president likely leading the charge.

Forest Preserve District President Cory Singer, R-Frankfort, is perhaps the biggest proponent of [bow and shotgun hunting].

I've been told by someone in the know that "some [higher-up] just wants to get a hunting program started."

A Will County Board member seems to have suspicions about the motivation for hunting, too. Kathleen Konicki e-mailed me in response to an e-mail I sent to county board members, urging them to vote no on the hunting proposal.

[T]he forest preserve has extensive holdings in my area, and there has been no evidence or complaints from adjoining landowners indicative of over-population. Frankly, at this point, I don't feel any action is warranted. I feel blind-sided by this sudden claim of overpopulation and resource devastation. [...] There was no mention of such problems, until [forest preserve] President Singer took office.

[...]

Bottom-line, I do not share President Singer's enthusiasm for this program nor his sense of urgency to implement it.

At the operations committee meeting May 5 Walter Krzak, a veterinarian from New Lenox, "noted that the forest preserve district's study of the situation seemed skewed toward hunting."

His sister, Alice Krzak, also of New Lenox and also a veterinarian, "attended one of the public forums and noticed something about them: 'I felt (the meeting) was definitely pro hunting.'"

While the operations committee unanimously (0-10) shot down the proposal for bow hunting last week, their decision may only be a recommendation. A newspaper story said that the full board of commissioners will make the final decision. But Konicki, in her e-mail, said bow hunting "has been taken off the table and is no longer being considered."

According to the forest preserve's Web site, the committee said that "culling needed to be managed as a conservation program, not as a recreational program." Yet they voted 6-4 in favor of considering shotgun hunting. They also voted 9-0-1 in favor of considering using sharpshooters.

After learning about the votes, bow hunters aired their frustration in bow-hunting forums like ArcheryTalk.com.

Ill be damned if the sharp shooters are going to be the one having all the fun.

Regardless what hunting proponents may say, this statement reveals the true reason they hunt: It's fun.

It's a time to socialize, to exert one's manliness, to have control over something in their lives.

They call hunting a "sport." Recreation, fun, excitement ... all of those are inherent in sports.

Yet they defend hunting by saying the deer would suffer and starve without them. They portray it as mercy killing. In response to my e-mail Michael Wisniewski, a Will County Board member and treasurer of the forest preserve, didn't bother with a salutation. Instead he went right into his mercy-killing defense.

should we let the deer starve to death ?

Get diseases from malnutrition ? Perhaps an infection that wastes the entire herd?

I do support mercy killing. If my dog is suffering from a disease, is in pain and has a horrible quality of life, I would likely take him to the veterinarian to be euthanized. But I won't be smiling, laughing, high-fiving my friends. Nor will I have someone take my picture, with me propping up my dead dog, proud for having just ended his life.

You can contact the Forest Preserve District of Will County by using this online form.