deer cull in phoenix park

juniord

i was walking the dog yesterday in the phoenix park and the western side of the fifteen acres was closed off as they were culling the deer herd , this morning i see somebody wrote on the footpath in spray paint cull is murder , i hope its not left there too long , surely there is a better way to object than graffiti

boxerly

Why are they culling them???Id be more concerned about the poor deer than I would about the graffiti.

juniord

the herd is culled regularly to keep the herd healthy, im sure the decision which ones to cull is well thought out ,

Nody

boxerly wrote: »

Why are they culling them???Id be more concerned about the poor deer than I would about the graffiti.

For all the normal reasons? I.e. to many animals in to small space (deers population increase 25%+ a year with out appropiate predators to keep them in line).

scudzilla

juniord wrote: »

the herd is culled regularly to keep the herd healthy, im sure the decision which ones to cull is well thought out ,

yeah, it's not like they're just gonna say "We need to pop off 20 of them" and take out the first 20 they see.

It would have been well planned and thought out

Whispered

Can the deer be eaten? Is the meat sold or anything?

Nody

Whispered wrote: »

Can the deer be eaten? Is the meat sold or anything?

From my quick google check earlier they said that they were left for 2 days to be eaten by predator birds to recirculate into the food chain as naturally as possible.

Thats what happens when you have no natural predators. I hear they have to ship in deer from europe too.

Dr Turk Turkelton

boxerly wrote: »

Why are they culling them???Id be more concerned about the poor deer than I would about the graffiti.

You should immediately join an animal rights group and start collecting signatures in Grafton st.
Your basic knowledge of the animal kingdom seems to be on a par with these people.

ISDW

Cuchulainn1. wrote: »

You should immediately join an animal rights group and start collecting signatures in Grafton st.
Your basic knowledge of the animal kingdom seems to be on a par with these people.

What people, people that shop on Grafton street?

Alun

Deleted User wrote: »

I hear they have to ship in deer from europe too.

Sounds unlikely. The herd reached 800 at one stage and up to 200 fawns were being born each year. I think they try and keep it to around 400-450 now which is considered to be what the area can realistically sustain.

The only reason to bring in stock from outside would be in a very small breeding population to prevent too much inbreeding and increase genetic diversity like they do in zoos with endangered species, but that's hardly relevant in this case.

Whispered

Nody wrote: »

From my quick google check earlier they said that they were left for 2 days to be eaten by predator birds to recirculate into the food chain as naturally as possible.

Thanks for not doing the "let me google that for you" thing.

It's a good idea actually to leave them for the birds, do you know if they are left where shot or moved out of public view. A deer with its eyes pecked out might be a bit much.

I would happily cook & serve it for my husband, if not suitable for human consumption, then my dogs would love it. Are the left over bits of carcasses destroyed? It seems like an awful waste, maybe even the predators in the zoo would appreciate it!

juniord

the bodies are not left where they fall, the people doing the shooting were selective and they collected the carcasses immediately , i asked a park ranger what happens to the deer that are shot and he told me its sold to a hotel , i raw feed my dog and was chancing my arm on a bit for him

Whispered

Did you get any? I'm imagining you strolling home with a leg over your shoulder. :pac:

ratsam

They should lock the park gates and open all the zoo gates. They'd have a natural predator pretty soon after that..! I've ate venison before and like it! Yummmmmmm

Rats

juniord

Whispered wrote: »

Did you get any? I'm imagining you strolling home with a leg over your shoulder. :pac:

no unfortunately , the entire deer is sold apparently , wouldnt bother me to carry a whole deer if i got one

DBB

Cuchulainn1. wrote: »

You should immediately join an animal rights group and start collecting signatures in Grafton st.
Your basic knowledge of the animal kingdom seems to be on a par with these people.

Cuchulainn1, such uncalled-for and quite frankly rude posts are not permitted on this forum, it is a requirement of the forum charter to post in a civil way, and to attack the post, not the poster. If you cannot rein in this style of posting, then don't post.
First and final warning.
Do not reply to this post on thread.
Thanks,
DBB

juice1304

If you have the same large dominant male (buck's as they are fallow deer) mating with the same females (doe's) year in year out then they start to mate with their own young and you see problems and deformities etc... They cull about 80 of them every year and leave them there for the foxes and crows there would'nt be much left after a day or so. Food can also be scarce in the winter and if there are large numbers many will starve to death over the course of sevral weeks.
I hunt deer myself because i don't support the production of cheap meat if you even want to call it that, it also keeps me fit and i am happy knowing i showed the animal the most respect i could have while also getting to eat free range steroid free, antibiotic free meat.
I would rather not hear how bad a person i am etc especially if you eat meat because what i do is far more humane and beneficial to the environment than farmed animals.
Anyway i shot one grollaghed (gutted) it and went back to the same spot the next day and there was nothing left there. I was amazed at how quickly the birds had eaten it and that was quiet alot of stuff heart,lungs,liver,kidnies,intestines etc.. It had only been eleven hours since i had left it there.

ISDW

We held a sled dog event in a forest in Limerick a couple of years ago, and the dogs were very interested in a couple of trees, and were eating something at the foot of them. Spoke to the ranger the next day and he told us they had culled deer there, and obviously the dogs had found some of the remains, so I guess it is standard practice to leave some there for the wildlife.

I would say that I am an animal rights person, but I am also a meat eater, would rather have an animal shot and killed quickly and then all the parts used, then have them starve because there are too many and not enough food etc.

Whispered

ISDW wrote: »

I would say that I am animal rights person, but I am also a meat eater, would rather have an animal shot and killed quickly and then all the parts used, then have them starve because there are too many and not enough food etc.

Even not being a meat eater, I'd say this. I'd also prefer to see this meat sold than conveyor belt meat. I'm hoping the whole horse meat fiasco will encourage people to be more careful about where they get their meat.

juniord

nothing was being left at the kill site , there was people in a 4x4 shooting and picking up straight away , they may have gutted and left the entrails elsewhere in the park,

endacl

boxerly wrote: »

Why are they culling them???Id be more concerned about the poor deer than I would about the graffiti.

Poor deer? They live in a deer paradise!

**Vai**

ISDW wrote: »

What people, people that shop on Grafton street?

The people who are still searching for HMV???

Whispered wrote: »

Thanks for not doing the "let me google that for you" thing.

It's a good idea actually to leave them for the birds, do you know if they are left where shot or moved out of public view. A deer with its eyes pecked out might be a bit much.

I would happily cook & serve it for my husband, if not suitable for human consumption, then my dogs would love it. Are the left over bits of carcasses destroyed? It seems like an awful waste, maybe even the predators in the zoo would appreciate it!

Should be given to the DSPCA and any other deserving groups. The leftovers at least, predator birds need to eat too!

This serves as another valid argument for reintroducing wolves anywhere they used to inhabit. Wouldnt need to cull deer then, thats for sure.

endacl

**Vai** wrote: »

This serves as another valid argument for reintroducing wolves anywhere they used to inhabit. Wouldnt need to cull deer then, thats for sure.

In the Phoenix Park?!? That'll make jogging....... interesting...

SillyMangoX

I remember hearing rumours a few years back that they released a small population if wolves from the zoo to cull the deer but I somehow don't think that was true wouldn't mind some of that venison for myself though, it's a lovely meat!!

juice1304

**Vai** wrote: »

This serves as another valid argument for reintroducing wolves anywhere they used to inhabit. Wouldnt need to cull deer then, thats for sure.

That would be a ridiculous idea when there were wolves here the country was covered with native broadleaf forest not densely populated farm land,
Do you think the wolves would bother to chase a deer for miles when they could just jump a fence into a field full of sheep or cows unable to escape, Or the dog in someones back garden wolves hate dogs. Also how would anyone protect themselves from a wolf attack here? centerfire handguns are now effectively banned.

**Vai**

juice1304 wrote: »

That would be a ridiculous idea when there were wolves here the country was covered with native broadleaf forest not densely populated farm land,
Do you think the wolves would bother to chase a deer for miles when they could just jump a fence into a field full of sheep or cows unable to escape, Or the dog in someones back garden wolves hate dogs. Also how would anyone protect themselves from a wolf attack here? centerfire handguns are now effectively banned.

Think you're taking my comment a little too seriously. Obviously there would be issues and its the easiest thing in the world to point them out but we pushed them out and killed them so why cant be use our brains to come up with a solution like other places have. They are an important part of any habitat or food chain, thats my main point.

And yes, Phoenix park would not be ideal. Unless you could fence off a massive area of it. Its not like its all used. Farmleigh would make an awesome den site and its gettin used for feck all else.

Btw "wolves hate dogs"; antropomorphise much?

Qualitymark

**Vai** wrote: »

Farmleigh would make an awesome den site and its gettin used for feck all else.

I thought Farmleigh was already used as a den for shy and rare wild creatures?

As for culling, it's the most humane way to go. If you saw the skeletal, half-starved deer in some parts of Wicklow at times you'd be shocked. (They're also a deadly danger to local humans, as in some places lunatic shooters shoot down from the roads into areas where there are homes and people and pets and livestock.)

**Vai**

Qualitymark wrote: »

I thought Farmleigh was already used as a den for shy and rare wild creatures?

As well as the most exotic visitors from around the world!

Whispered

juice1304 wrote: »

That would be a ridiculous idea when there were wolves here the country was covered with native broadleaf forest not densely populated farm land,
Do you think the wolves would bother to chase a deer for miles when they could just jump a fence into a field full of sheep or cows unable to escape, Or the dog in someones back garden wolves hate dogs. Also how would anyone protect themselves from a wolf attack here? centerfire handguns are now effectively banned.

Did it work in Scotland? (maybe not I seem to remember reading something about it) Surely we have some places in the country wild enough to allow a small population take hold. Although then they might have to be culled to keep their numbers down, like the woman and the fly. We'd end up breeding T-Rex's to keep the population of tigers down, who were realeased to keep the population of wolves down who were released to keep the numbers of deer down.

Anyway on a serious note, I don't think wolves go around randomly attacking people, wild wolves are usually very shy as far as I know.

juniord

the park deer have enough to worry about with loose dogs chasing them ,;)