Maine’s 15-year management plan for the four big-game species — black bear, deer, moose, and turkeys — was released at the beginning of May.

With regards to deer, the plan states on page 45, “Overly abundant deer populations may also lead to public dissatisfaction due to, for example, high rates of deer-vehicle collisions, browsing of ornamental plants, and crop damage.”

The solution is more hunting of deer now in central and southern Maine. It should come as no surprise, since Maine has had an ongoing war against predators, with the hunting, trapping, and hounding of bobcats and coyotes for years, ensuring that the deer population and hunting revenue remain high.

Coyotes and foxes consume rodents that carry the bacterial spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease. More deer and moose are now co-mingling due to less deep snow in Northern Maine, which can lead to the spread of disease.

It should be noted that deer can groom themselves of ticks; moose cannot. Deer are impervious to brain worm disease; moose are not. Both are susceptible to chronic wasting disease.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife would like to expand any-deer permits this year to nearly 85,000, which is up 28 percent from last year. Any-deer permits allow hunters to kill deer of either sex. This cruel attack on Maine’s wildlife would leave many fawns to fend for themselves over the winter. This reckless proposal seems more geared toward profit rather than conservation.

Please submit your comments on or before July 6 to: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Attention: Becky Orff, secretary to the commissioner, 284 State St., 41 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333; or becky.orff@maine.gov. Let your voice be heard.

Val Philbrick

Scarborough

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