DALTON: Consider other options

As a resident of Dalton Gardens since 1985, I have witnessed many issues come and go in our unique community but deer hunting within Dalton Gardens is a new level of absurdity.

As I have researched this issue what stands out to me is the exaggerations brought forth as facts to justify deer hunting in Dalton.

Firstly, deer do not cause Lyme disease, ticks cause Lyme disease. A Harvard study states killing deer is not the answer to reducing Lyme disease. Secondly, Dalton does not have a large incidence of traffic related car accidents caused by deer. In the years 2017-2019, five deer vehicle accidents were reported in Dalton. During that same period, seven accidents were related to animals in the roadway that were not deer.

It is my belief that most community concerns actually arise from deer eating landscaping plantations and gardens. Yes, that is a concern, but a simple answer would be to build a 6-foot fence around your garden, buy deer resident plants and spray deer repellent.

The thought of bow hunters shooting deer within our city limits knowing that bow hunting is not a particularly accurate sport, less than 50% of bow hunters actually hit their moving target and most who do hit the target, do not kill them, they injure them.

What we could witness in Dalton is deer hobbling on our streets and lawns with an arrow sticking out of their body and blood spewing.

Let’s rethink this situation.

CHERYL STRANSKY

Dalton Gardens