Sadness
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I decided to put this photo in this category because this is something that pisses me off so badly and makes me so sick I can't adequately express it. This picture is of a scene 1/4 of a mile down the road next to the rail crossing. This is one of several deer carcass dumping sites (there are 3 others I know of) that unethical hunters use to dump the bodies of deer after they have taken only the meat they want. They then stuff the rest of the body from head to hoof into black plastic garbage bags (on left side of photo) and toss them on the side of the road. The bag stays there, incognito, mimicking "mere" trash for only a little while before other creatures pull the bags open to pick over the remains. Little by little their awful contents are revealed, then finally these half or fully open bags sit with silent accusation for what seems like forever, everyone (including me) and every agency refusing to move them.
There are at least 3 other bags half stuffed with decayed carcasses that I can make out at this sight lone. These bodies sit right to the side of a small stream that runs ultimately into the Chesapeake Bay. Depending on the time of year, they bring flies, and there is a risk of disease spreading to other animals at any time.
In spite of lying in wait for tags numbers a couple of times, I can't ever catch anyone doing it, and frankly, I'm not sure I'd want to have a face to face with someone who operates like this. This isn't an anti-hunting rant; it's a where the hell is your basic decency and sense of responsibility rant.
It circles back to any number of problems associated with human impact - myriad issues of land mismanagement, loss of natural predators, an explosion in deer population --it all feeds on itself. It is estimated that 100 years ago, the deer population in the U.S. was only about 500,000. Experts estimate that today, about 20 million deer roam the nation including rural and suburban settings. This leads to crop damage, car accidents, understory damage in forests, and spread of Lyme disease and Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) among others.
So there you have it: a local issue that connects to so many greater issues of human impact.
22 Responses
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On 4 March 2008 Steve Hogle gave props:
Powerful and Sad. Got my vote!
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On 4 March 2008 Amanda Means gave props:
This happens alot. Unfortunately.
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On 4 March 2008 Pilar Coll i Gatells said:
Entre tots acabarem amb tot! Molt bona! my vote
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On 5 March 2008 catharine amato gave props:
Good everything. Voted!
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On 5 March 2008 Gary Fudge gave props:
Nelson, that's a powerful story that really ought to be printed with your shot. My feelings are the same as yours, but I have to say that I WOULD happily confront these people. They are lifes bullies and know that they can get away with it. Voted+ I really hope it gets published
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On 7 March 2008 Karen Zimmerman gave props:
A very real issue, Nelson. Well written, and documented. Very sad indeed...
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On 13 March 2008 Audrey Kanekoa-Madrid gave props:
Wow....how sad! Well said and photographed. Powerful image.
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On 13 March 2008 Michelle Lane said:
A very inhumane way of disposing of what some would call "waste". Your story is very powerful and extremely well written. I applaud your honesty in the sentence "everyone (including me) and every agency refusing to move them". It is obvious that the hunters will not take responsibility for disposing of the unwanted portion of the animal in a more humane manner...but who gets the responsibility in the end? Well done.
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On 13 March 2008 Michelle Lane gave props:
...and you definitely get my vote ;)
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On 13 March 2008 judy fouse gave props:
Sad to see and sad to know. What is the proper way for a hunter to dispose of the remains? I personally, could never shoot such a beautiful animal.
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On 14 March 2008 Kiwi ana gave props:
Nelson, this is a poignant photograph and a strongly written piece to accompany it. I'm voting yes. I see Aaron has commented here. Without him I might not have seen this. Thanks to both of you.
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On 18 March 2008 Klaus Girk gave props:
I truly concur with the pissed off part as it just gets in my craw when people shoot birds or mammals unecessarily.
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On 22 March 2008 Howard Simpson gave props:
Interesting and educational. Sometimes human beings just disappoint you. So sad.
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On 22 March 2008 Mike Tindle gave props:
Great/Powerful picture! Sad also. Got my vote.
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On 23 March 2008 Trevor Jackson said:
That is disgusting behaviour...
The explosion in the deer population is an interesting twist... I always assumed the deer would be dropping in numbers due to the fact that people shoot them... Very informative... -
On 24 March 2008 Alexis Gerard gave props:
Nelson, thank you for exposing this awful practice. You have my vote, wish I could give you more than one.
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On 26 March 2008 Rachel Mckinnie said:
Powerful shot and story. It breaks my heart to see this. While populations are up now, you never know what one harsh winter will do to them as it has this year here in Utah. We have deer coming into the neighborhoods (and not just the foothills) because the snow is too deep in the mountains to find any food.
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On 2 April 2008 Mandolin Davis gave props:
this makes me sad. what's wrong with people?
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On 6 June 2008 J. Harris Blacklist gave props:
Maybe that is what happened in my photo as well?
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On 6 June 2008 Natalie S gave props:
Wow, Nelson, very sad indeed.
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On 7 June 2008 elfriede fulda gave props:
Nelson, just read the above...You are absolutely right. Here in Quebec on my hikes, I have come across deer carcass too. Hunters seem to be the same everywhere. Here, though they leave it in the bush for crows and other predators., which is just as bad. It would not be the first time Rocky has brought me a deer bone....ugh.....
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On 7 October 2008 Trish Meyer gave props:
Excellent information and theme shot.
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