Stop Bow Hunting of Deer in NY County Parks

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"Patricia Tricker" <vegan & Dixie Mahy, SFVS Action Alert: Stop Bow-Hunting Deer in Westchester & Rockland County Parks We at Friends of Animals need your help on behalf of the deer. Westchester County plans to turn 850 acres in Lasden Park and Muscoot Farm Park into deer-killing fields for bowhunters starting November 7th A "task force" with a pro-hunting bent concluded that there was an "overpopulation" of deer eating as deer eat in the forest. Its members made the unprecedented decision to open up parklands where hunting was formerly prohibited. Hunting changes the way deer naturally evolve and can cause deer populations to increase. Nature itself ensures that the deer population is limited by available food, territory, and winter weather conditions, which restrict both food and range. The reproductive rate and the survival rate of deer will then decrease, creating a natural balance. Deer simply need us to let them be, and that's the message that needs to be communicated to your legislators. Hunting is also known to increase the instances of accidents, with people driving into scattering deer. A 2002 study by Friends of Animals indicated that hunting exacerbates roadway deaths of deer. About half of all these accidents happen during the three months of hunting season: October, November and December. Please contact the officials below and tell them that you demand an end to the plan to turn your peaceful parklands into places where arrows fly. Westchester County Executive Andrew J. Spano 148 Martine Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Phone: 914.995.2900 Fax: 914.995.2939 Email: ceo Joseph A. Stout, Commissioner Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Conservation 25 Moore Avenue Mt. Kisco, New York 10549 Phone: 914.864.7000 Fax: 914.864.7053 Email: jas7 Rockland County Residents Rockland County Legislator Gerold Beirker wants to follow Westchester's bloody lead, and has introduced bowhunting legislation that would allow bowhunting of deer on county parkland. We ask Rockland County residents to contact Legislator Gerold M. Bierker and tell him that your parklands are not appropriate places for bowhunters, and that deer don't need to be managed unnaturally. Gerold M. Bierker Rockland County Legislature 11 New Hempstead Rd. New City, NY 10956 Phone: 845.638.5753 Email: bierkerg Friends of Animals 777 Post Road Darien CT 06820 203-656-1522