- Greenwich
is one of many municipalities confronting deer overpopulation and studying
the potential remedies. We believe this letter is one of many more to
come. We urge sportsmen to
contact their legislators, both incumbents and newly elected, and discuss
this issue. Retaining the status quo does nothing but increase deer
population levels.
- **********
-
- Northeast
Greenwich Association
- Northwest
Greenwich Association
- Round Hill
Association
- Greenwich,
Connecticut
- October 14,
2004
-
- Senator
Donald E. Williams, Jr.
- Environmental
Committee Co-Chairman
- 60
Taft Street
- Danielson,
CT 06239
-
- Representative
Patricia M. Widlitz,
- Environmental
Committee Co-Chairman
- 12
Island Bay Circle
- Gilford,
CT 06437
-
- Re:
Sunday Bowhunting on Private Land for Whitetail deer
-
- The
Northeast Greenwich, Northwest Greenwich and Round Hill Associations
represent over two thirds of the land area and about a quarter of the
population of the Town of Greenwich, which suffers from a severe over
population of Whitetail deer. In order to help address this problem we
urge your Committee to act now to permit Sunday bowhunting on private land
for Whitetail deer.
-
- Our
town has experienced extensive environmental habitat destruction,
thousands of tick borne disease cases with substantial associated medical
costs, and approximately 300 deer killed last year by automobiles at a
reported cost of over $1 million. The Connecticut Department of
Environmental Protection estimates there are approximately 3,500 deer in
our neighborhoods, or 3,000 more than is sustainable without permanent
environmental damage. (See attached letter to Greenwich
Time).
-
- There
is ample precedent throughout the nation for Sunday bowhunting.
Connecticut is one of only eight states that do not permit bowhunting on
Sunday. Within the past three years, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland
and New Jersey have passed laws to allow Sunday hunting on private lands
only, bringing the current total of states allowing Sunday hunting for
deer to 42. By allowing
Sunday bowhunting on private land the State would double the hunting time
for most bowhunters, and would make it possible for others to hunt, who
can do so only on Sundays.
-
- The
Town of Greenwich has recently completed a two-year cooperative research
project under the auspices of the University of Connecticut and the
Wildlife Division of the DEP conducted by Howard J. Kilpatrick. His
report recommends Sunday bowhunting as an important initiative that would
be helpful in managing the deer population. The extra hunting day
would be extremely important in helping the DEP control the ever-expanding
deer herd State-wide, as well as our local groups. Archers on
private lands in some counties would gain as much as 20 days of hunting
time annually.
-
- The
State of Connecticut officially banned Sunday hunting in 1923 to increase
the herd after hunting pressure. Re-instating Sunday bowhunting on
private land is now long over due in order to manage our exploding deer
population. Thank you for
your consideration.
-
- Sincerely,
- _____________________________________________________
- George
M. Whitmore, Jr., President, Northeast Greenwich Association
-
- ____________________________________________________
- Ingrid
McMenamin, President, Northwest Greenwich Association
- Lewis
S. White, President, Round Hill Association
-
- cc:
State Senator William H. Nickerson, 35
Quail Road, Greenwich, CT 06831
-
- cc:
Representative Livvy R. Floren, 210 Round Hill Road, Greenwich, CT 06831
-
- cc:
Representative Lile Gibbons, 23 Tomac Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06870
-
- cc:
Representative Claudia Powers, 15 Hendrie Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06878
-
- cc:
Governor M. Jodi Rell, State Capitol, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT
06106
-
- cc:
First Selectman James Lash, Town of Greenwich,101 Field Point Road,
Greenwich, CT 06830
-
- cc:
Denise Savageau, Director Conservation, Town of Greenwich, 101 Field Point
Road, Greenwich, CT 06830
-
- cc:
Arthur J. Rocque, Jr. Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Dept. of
Environmental Protection
-
- cc:
Edward C. Parker, Chief Bureau of Natural Resources, Dept. of
Environmental Protection
-
- cc:
Dale May, Director of CT Wildlife Division, State of Connecticut, Dept. of
Environmental Protection
-
- cc:
David Leff, Deputy Commissioner, State of Connecticut, Dept. of
Environmental Protection
-
- cc: Howard
J. Kilpatrick, Wildlife Biologist, Dept. of Environmental Protection
