Monmouth County should use humane alternatives to deer hunt

The Monmouth County Park System is implementing another deer hunt using bows and arrows starting Jan. 1 and lasting through mid-February.

This "managed" hunt has no limit on the number of deer that can be killed and no limit on the number of licenses to be issued. I contacted the Monmouth County Park System and had a lengthy discussion with David Compton. Mr. Compton was very willing to answer my questions, but seemed convinced that hunting was the only solution.

Last night I sent him the following article: www.farm park.org/Spring%202005/new_ page_9.htm which although it is a discussion on Pennsylvania deer issues, references New Jersey: "The Fish and Game Agency in NJ reported that surviving females after a hunt had produced enough offspring not only to replace those killed but enough to increase the size of the herd by the very next year. One dose of PZP immunocontraception, on the other hand, has a 70-80 percent efficacy of preventing pregnancy even after five years."

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a strong promoter of the development and testing of PZP. (See: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/iss uesfacing_wildlife/immunocon traception/)

I believe the Monmouth County Park system needs to stop the planned deer hunt and work with the HSUS to test PZP in Monmouth County parks. The areas surrounding parks should also install and maintain Strieter-lite reflectors (www.strieter-lite.com) to drastically reduce deer/car collisions. We live in an advanced society of highly intelligent and educated people, and the need to hunt down animals with bows and arrows is long gone.

Please contact the Monmouth County Park System at (732) 842-4000 and ask them to stop the deer hunt.

If the hunt does continue as planned, try to make your yards accommodating to deer, so that they have a safe haven starting a half-hour before sunrise till a half-hour after sunset.

Dawn Zelinski

Middletown