At a cost of $58,500 and many broken hearts, the City of Ludington, Michigan, recently voted to enter a contract with the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a deer kill in the ill-considered hope that it will save a few plants and flowers.
Ludington City Manager Mitch Foster said the city would work with the USDA and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources on a plan to kill 40 deer, but that number may increase based on the DNR’s input, reported the Ludington Daily News. Permitted hunters would be allowed to bait the kill zone, shoot at night, and use night vision equipment and silencers. The cost per year for the three-year program is $19,500.
Friends of Animals is asking for you to oppose this inhumane, unnecessary scheme by contacting Mayor Steve Miller at mayor@ci.ludington.mi.us and City Manager Mitch Foster at mfoster@ci.ludington.mi.us or by calling 231-845-6237. Let them know you do not support killing deer and will boycott the resort town this summer if they move forward with such bloodshed.
“How is it OK to kill a female deer because it ate some of your flowers?” asks Ludington resident Terry Grams, who has launched a website, stopthecull.org to protest the killing spree, which is scheduled to begin in early 2023.
Public education is the sane alternative to any deer hunt. The town should be encouraging residents to change the type of plants and shrubs they have in their yards. Friends of Animals also advocates for other methods to protect areas from heavy browsing, like spray repellents and fencing to protect sensitive plants.