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j_ung
Jan 6, 2004, 4:37 PM
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In the past couple of years, the Stone Mountain wildlife has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. Every evening, cars pile into the park to see and feed the deer that, by now, have become completely unafraid of both cars and people. It's not hard to see the danger to both wildlife and people in this unfortunate situation. The number of road-killed deer in the area has soared, because they now equate the road and cars with food.
My wife wrote the park to express her concern and received this letter back (edited to the good parts):
Good morning XXXX!
My name is Walter Gravley and I am the Western District Superintendent
for the NC Division of State Parks and Recreation. Stone Mountain State
Park is one of the parks under my direct management.
I am sorry to hear your recent visit ended with a note of sadness.
In reference to the issue of "feeding the wildlife", I appreciate your
response to the incident involving the white tail deer. The public
practice of feeding these animals has been a concern for our staff as
over the past two years this activity has increased resulting in several
unfortunate incidents similar to the one you experienced. In hopes of
resolving this problem, we have began implementing an aggressive
program to both educate our visitors of the danger this imposes to both
the deer and the public and to set in motion a change in our current
regulations as it relates to feeding wildlife. This regulation change
will permit our staff to better control the problem. Ratification of a
new statute of law is a lengthy process. However, we expect this to
become effective within the next few months. After ratification, there
will be a campaign to notify the public of the new rule change and the
basis for this change.
Again, I appreciate your concern and support. Thank you and enjoy our parks! Walt
In the meantime, Stone Mountain climbers, don't be part of the problem. By all means, educate others who you see feeding the deer at roadside, but if do, please be diplomatic, not confrontational.
j_ung
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overlord
Jan 6, 2004, 4:44 PM
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i dont believe it. theyre actually doing something about it.
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bumblie
Jan 6, 2004, 5:01 PM
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In reply to: i dont believe it. theyre actually doing something about it.
As if you know a thing about it.
J,
Nice post. Tell your lovely wife thanks for her advocacy. :wink:
Maybe they should allow seasonal feeding - namely when the males are rutting. :lol:
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the_pirate
Jan 6, 2004, 6:49 PM
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Is this the same Stone Mountain that has the mural of Lee, Jackson, and that other guy carved in it?
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climbersoze
Jan 6, 2004, 7:09 PM
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In reply to: Is this the same Stone Mountain that has the mural of Lee, Jackson, and that other guy carved in it?
Nope... that Stone Mountain is just east of Atlanta. http://www.stonemountainpark.com/newsite/default.asp
Every time I go (went) to Stone Mtn in Atlanta, I did the "I wish I could climb that" but unfortunately it is WAY off limits. if any ATL locals know otherwise, please let me know. How sweet it would be to have ~five + pitches of sheer granite 20 minutes outside of one of the largest cities in the southeast!!!
I miss Atlanta. I hate Virginia Beach. :cry:
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floridaputz
Jan 6, 2004, 8:25 PM
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I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN, I WAS BEHIND TWO BUCKS AND A DOE ON GRAND FUNK RAILROAD, THEY WERE SOOOO SLOW...WHEN THE DOE FINALLY GOT OFF THE DECK SHE LEFT LITTLE POO PO PELLETS AT THE BELAY SPOT
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dinglestyle
Jan 6, 2004, 9:17 PM
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Black Water Falls State Park, WV has the same problem. The real problem is that most parks have a over population of deer, becuase they are protected from hunting. That causes alot of other enviermental problems. My local park has to fence off native plants to keep deer from eating the rare plants. Deer mangment is a large can of worms.
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solored
Jan 7, 2004, 9:34 PM
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Indeed, here in the Virginia Blue Ridge, a bit north of Stone Mtn, the deer population has gone from virtually extinct 45 years ago to major nuisance/hazard. I refer to them as 'the long-legged rodents'. Long-time residents have noted the disappearance of a lot of the underbrush in the forests - overgrazed by the rodents. We really need to have hunts in portions of Shenandoah NP, for instance, since there are no longer any predators to speak of (wolves, panthers,grizzlies (don't know if the Appalachians ever had those)). Too few human hunters, as well.
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climbersoze
Jan 7, 2004, 9:41 PM
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I can vouch for the deer in Shenedoah... I was camping out this summer and we found a picnic table to cook up some grub. A deer came up to the table and grabbed a piece of bread off the plate right next to me. The deer population in Shen. is insane!!!
Oh.. had a small bear watch me break down my camp from about 20 yards away on the last day too - now THAT was cool.
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dbrayack
Dec 7, 2006, 4:07 PM
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Next trip to Stone Mountain, I'll bring my 7mm Magnum (and maybe the shotgun too for good measure).
I'll take care of that pesky deer problem.
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brent_e
Dec 7, 2006, 5:25 PM
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good that your wife wrote something about this, Jay.
I've seen problems like this in New York, too. Grand Island, Pennsylvania, and a lot of area around Syracuse have overpopulation problems that may not be from people feeding them, but the problems seem to the be the same - lots of road kills, VERY small animals, and disease from overpopulation. The mild winters aren't helping, either.
I think what they have done in those areas to control this is to allow more deer licenses. Extend the controlled hunt to cull the herd.
I think there could be some conflict from some park supers as this tourist attraction would bring a lot of currency to the park. I would hope this wouldn't come into play.
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norskagent
Dec 7, 2006, 6:00 PM
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Registered: Jul 9, 2003
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another problem is the stupid tourist looky-looks all but park in the road to view the deer, thinking all the cars stacked up behind them wish to do likewise, or not thinking at all.
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mr8615
Dec 7, 2006, 6:31 PM
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Way to go Punkin! I've always been impressed with the management of Stone Mountain, cheers to those guys. I'm sure they noticed before, but hesitated to take action, nice job spurring them on! I'll be sure to say somethin about the deer next time I'm up there.
Mark
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forkliftdaddy
Dec 7, 2006, 6:35 PM
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Registered: Jun 3, 2003
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Norsker, you just need to strap the pad to the hood and go bambi bumping!
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norskagent
Dec 7, 2006, 6:51 PM
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I've laid on the horn to get the tourons to pull off the road if they want to stop, I don't care what they think. After climbing all day, the last thing I want to do is stare at docile deer.
(This post was edited by norskagent on Dec 7, 2006, 6:51 PM)
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