Deer cull to occur during winter break
Courtesy of Colin Purrington
The college’s plan to cull deer pushes forward, but a dissenting Quaker and animal rights activist questions the morality of the college’s decision to use sharpshooters rather than what she deems more humane methods.
In print | Published September 11, 2008 — Updated December 03, 2008 23:06
During this week’s Swarthmore Borough Council meeting, the council amended an existing firearms ordinance that stood in the way of the college’s proposal to regulate the Crum Woods’ deer population with sharpshooters. The language of the amendment authorizes “the discharge of a firearm for the purposes of animal control,” clearing the way for the anticipated culling of the deer this winter.
After careful study of the deer population’s effect on the ecological wellbeing of the Crum Woods, the college heeded an external consultant’s recommendation that sharpshooters be employed to regulate the number of deer. Last year, the Crum Woods Stewardship Committee settled on the sharpshooter method and has since lobbied the borough to revise a local ordinance that could enable the use of sharpshooters on Swarthmore’s campus. Now that the amendment has been passed, the culling could take place as early as winter break.
“For the college to use the method of culling that the committee recommended requires that the borough amend for a very specific purpose its prohibition of using firearms in the town,” Professor of Economics and member of the borough council Philip Jefferson said prior to the council’s decision this week. The next stage in the process is to request a permit from the Pennsylvania Game Commission to conduct the hunt.
The College cannot apply directly for a permit, explained Borough Council member Elisabeth Knapp. As a result, the borough has worked with the College to pass an amendment making an exception on the use of firearms and administratively apply for the permit on behalf of the College.
“We’re very supportive of the Swarthmore College deer cull. Swarthmore can’t get their permit. It has to be obtained by a municipality. We are ready, willing and anxious to get this done for Swarthmore College,” Swarthmore Mayor Eck Gerner said.
Knapp stressed that the amendment only applies to firearms used for the culling of deer. “It doesn’t make an exception to the existing firearms regulations throughout the borough in any other situation, it just makes a one-time exception for this deer culling. I think that it also might leave open the possibility of Swarthmore College culling deer at a subsequent time — but all based on approval,” Knapp said.
Permits granted by the Pennsylvania Game Commission are only valid for a single event, so the borough would need to apply for another permit on the college’s behalf if a subsequent cull is deemed necessary. If all goes according to plan, the culling should take place during winter break. “The idea is to do it at a time when the use of the woods by human beings [is expected] to be quite low, and one time to do that is in the dead of winter, when [Swarthmore students] won’t be in there,” Jefferson said.
Following the deer culling, the deer meat will be donated to homeless shelters. “I think the deer is going to be sliced and given to homeless shelters or different agencies able to accept that type of food for people. It’s not like it’s just going to be sent off,” Gerner said.
Knapp explained that whenever the council considers an amendment that would impact the community, the borough advertises the initiative in The Swarthmorean to facilitate public debate on the matter.
“We publicized it for public hearing and we haven’t received any negative feedback,” Borough Council President, Tom Heustis said.
Gail Babcock ’65, an animal rights activist who currently resides in Oregon, learned of the decision to cull the deer through the Alumni Bulletin and has sent letters to the Crum Woods Stewardship Committee in protest.
“The most central humanist choice and Quaker choice is to choose nonviolence,” Babcock said in a phone interview. “This really struck to the heart to know that when I’m out in the world fighting for animal rights, the place where I developed my moral views has made a choice that goes completely against that.”
In a letter she drafted to Vice President Maurice Eldridge ’61, Babcock advocated “humane [and] effective alternatives to killing.” Other options besides sharp shooting considered by the stewardship committee included: taking no action, contraception, fencing, euthanasia, and recreational hunting.
As for the decision to donate the deer meat, Babcock’s letter to Eldridge took issue with the proposed redistribution of deer meat for human consumption. “Donating the deer after they have been killed to the poor is an unacceptable salve to conscience. Why not donate the hides to make clothes as well? The poor can all dress like Daniel Boone,” Babcock said. She then raised the issue of disease borne by deer.
“My singular concern is that the decision to cull and kill the Crum Woods deer has been dictated by expediency and ignores as necessary context the core values that are a part of Quakerism: coexistence and compassion to living creatures including the animals among us,” Babcock said in an e-mail.
In his response to Babcock, Eldridge said the decision of the organized deer cull came only “after careful study of the woods, consideration of a wide range of deer population management options, and extensive engagement with the community.” A public presentation of the deer overpopulation issue first occurred in 2004, and other public forums followed in the springs of 2006 and 2007 and the winter of 2008. The College has also informed the local media of all developments.
“During the most recent forum,” Eldridge said, “a consultant from Natural Resource Consultants Inc. discussed at length and fielded questions about its recommendation that a sharpshooter be hired to euthanize deer as the most humane, effective and socially responsible method to protect and restore the diverse ecosystem of the Woods.”
As to keeping with Swarthmore’s Quaker heritage, Eldridge said, “The CWSC has … determined that action must be taken … and has recommended the path that we believe will cause the least suffering for the deer in our efforts to protect and restore the Crum Woods.”
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Discussion
Nick Schultz
Over 3 years ago
Quakers have to eat too, and they are not all vegetarian. To assume that Quaker non-violence extends to whatever cause a specific person deems important is selfish. This solution is an excellent way to curb the deer population, and the donation of the meat to local food shelters just makes it better. To suggest that eating deer is outdated and unsafe is to insult many hunters, many of my neighbors and friends back home, and is uninformed. To campaign for the rights of deer over the rights of the homeless is in blatant violation of Quaker ideals.
Allegra Black
Over 3 years ago
I’d like to add that it is Pennsylvania law that all deer killed, for recreational hunting or in culls, must be processed. We are required by law not to waste meat, and not only is donation a common practice among hunters/culling programs, there are special hunts during the year for the express purpose of providing meat to food shelters.
Venison is not inferior food. It’s not like eating muffin tops and donating the stumps. Our school is taking action to correct a serious environmental problem and at the same time helping others.
And sharpshooting is really the only sensible way of solving the overpopulation problem. Our school considered every alternative.
Every alternative.
Including releasing pumas into the Crum.
Jim Marzluff
Over 3 years ago
Ms. Babcock’s protest to the cull reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the motivation to go forward with sharpshooting. It’s not like we’re killing wolves in Alaska at the behest of the hunting lobby. This is a scientifically sound decision to replace the natural predation of deer that simply doesn’t occur in the Crum. All other alternatives are potentially more destructive to the deer population. Overpopulation can result in starvation or encounters between deer and angry property owners, which can in turn result in extralegal killings, shootings, and automobile accidents.
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