Rogerian - The Cull

The Cull Argument

Introduction

Dear Professor Fredrick, I recently happened to have come across an article online while I was going through some environmental articles online and found some amazing news that relates to the ongoing deer cull that is happening in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “In a 2015 study, an ecological team surveyed browsing impacts in Ann Arbor’s Bird Hills Nature area. They found browsing damage in 80 percent of the tree saplings.” (Christopher, 2016). Indeed, this is at per with the facts and arguments that you presented in class. It does not leave me unamused to find out that ecologists, botanists, zoologists, ecologists and architects are all in support of the ongoing deer cull (Christopher, 2016) (Parallel Structure). Animals as beautiful as the deer are really admirable but looking at the kind of damage they have on our environment, even the environmentalists cannot stand this kind of damage.

The article I read really changed the way I perceive animals. I used to pity the deer victims of the cull until I realized that the cause of the call was indeed to protect our ecosystem. As of now, I strongly believe that the cull was for our own good and I support the cull’s operations (Anadiplosis). Although we see the cull as it is, there are still some who have staged an opposition to the cull and this has created some controversial issues in the media, in the Ann Arbor neighborhood, and the country at large (Subordinate transition between paragraphs). I would like to present an argument based on the facts in the article and research that were considering the people who oppose the cull and we who see the benefits the cull has to our environment.

The opposition

The opposition claims that the deer hunt should stop because the floral damage is not enough to have them all killed, and this amazes me because everyone can see the implications of the deer presence at Ann Arbor’s flora. They say that the deer only eats what it has to eat and that the effect is not too much since the waste they produce acts as manure to the ecosystem this is logical I think but it is not enough to claim a stop to the deer shoot. Well I like this concept. They also astonishingly say that there are other factors which lead to the decrease of the flora and that this should not be enough reason whatsoever to kill innocent animals that were created by God. I think God did not create animals with the purpose of their destruction to flora. Who else does?

Human interference to the deer habitat is another reason the opposing side claim has led to the deer nuisance at Ann Arbor. Really? How else do they expect us to find roofing for our houses and timber for our furniture? I can however see their logic in this. They claim that the human activities such as deforestation through clearing of trees to create homes for others is the reason why the deer has become a nuisance. I’m amazed by this claim. Anyway, don’t they have a clear clue that the location of their houses was once inhibited by trees which was a home for wild animals such as the deer? “Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make land available for other uses” (Bradford, 2018). These deer, they say, is a refugee and seeks a home in Ann Arbor due to the human activity that rendered them homeless. I don’t like where this is going. Can’t the deer just keep its bounds to the available home it has in the forest? There is still room for them at the forest.

Another issue that the opposition has raised is the safety of the local residents of Ann Arbor are prone to the dangers that may arise due to lethal methods that are involved in the deer hunt. This issue raised by the opposition are issues that they think gives them enough reasons to continue with their campaign until the shooting has been stopped by the city’s council. To me, they are great that are not supported with logic. The opposition amazes me by the way they are behaving towards what we all know is the solution to our problem as a community.

The supporters

Being one of the supporters of the cull, I claim that it has more than enough reasons to go on. I can all see that the deer has done enough significant damage to the residents’ property not ignoring the fact that it also causes automobile accidents in the busy roads. I make my statement that the deer should not only be seen as a nuisance, but also as a source of damage as they damage the local flora, which poses a serious threat to the local ecosystem (Anadiplosis). The main reason is simply because the deer feeds on native plants that are essential habitats and food resources for other wild animals. Who can’t see this? My argument is that this is the only best way to keep the city safe and restore the ecosystem. My city should have measure that can restore our ecosystem and the deer cull is just one of them.

The opposition claims that the sharpshooters might endanger the lives of the residents in the areas where the shooting takes place since the city said that only the adjacent neighbors in those areas will be notified. This is just another inconsiderable excuse I’ve come across in many years. Can’t the residents just keep off the areas that they see danger lingering? This means that other nearby neighbors will not get the signage warning of the shooting on private property. The nearby neighbors are exposed to the dangers that could arise due to the shooting just in case a stray bullet missed the target. Stray bullet? Might be an excuse, but a weak one. How many stray bullets harm people in a crossfire between thugs and cops? “The city says immediately adjacent neighbors are in those areas are being notified, but the city is not notifying other nearby neighbors and is not posting signage warning of the shooting on private property” (Stanton, 2018) (Anadiplosis).

Since 2015, me and the city council have introduced new measures that are non-lethal but quite more expensive that can help in the population control of the deer such as the sterilization. These new methods shall complement our original methods of deer shooting. Addressing the issue that my opposing team claims of me and my team endangering the humans through the shooting exercise, I have decided to increase the distance between the residential areas and the target areas for culling. Can’t the opposition just see this? By doing this I and my team intend to close the city parks and nature areas from 3 p.m. to midnight every day including the weekends (Santon, 2018). “The following parks and nature areas will be closed from 3 p.m. to midnight each day including the weekends: Arbor hills Nature Park, Barton Area (only the area of Warrington Drive), Bird hills nature Area, Foxfire West Nature Area, Glazier Hill nature Area” (Santon, 2018) (Parallel Structure).

I have also decided to make more room for the deer hunt in Ann Arbor. I and my team are going to clear trees to accommodate the deer hunt. I have noticed that the deer eating habits could potentially be a threat to the forest regeneration (The Detroit News, 2018). Hope everyone else can see this. For this reason, in the move to protect our forests, I have decided to cut down trees to have enough room for the deer hunt. “The deer’s eating habits could potentially hinder forest regeneration and biodiversity, city officials said…… But in order to protect its forests, the city has had to cut down trees to provide hunters with room” (The Detroit News, 2018). It is very clear that the opposing team does not appreciate my new measures however this cannot stop me from doing what I perceive to be the right solution

Conclusion

It is very clear to us all that our ecosystem is being endangered by the deer. We must agree that we are losing our brothers and sisters though the road accidents that they come across in the roads as a result of the deer invasion on our town. Our food is destroyed by the deer. We should not be dived now that we are trying to find a solution to our problems. We should appreciate the efforts that we are engaging in because at least our brothers and sisters have not died that much recently due to the accidents caused by the deer.

It is very true that the deer shoot endangers the lives of our neighborhood as much as we have employed the sharp shooters to do this task. I understand the claims being made by the opposition. You feel insecure because of the shoot and it is going to be a priority we must look into. I think that notifying the notifying other nearby neighbors and posting signage warning of the shooting on private property shall reduce or take care of the risk that the residents might be opposed to. The neighbors have the right to know about nearby shootings so that they can be careful of their ware bouts.

In my opinion, it is not a bad idea if we can all come to a mutual agreement that we should control the deer population in order to be safe from endangering our livelihood. In fact, we can decide to use the measures that do not make our residential areas unsafe such as shooting with the firearm. It is such a good thing if we can agree to drop the shoot with the firearm in the residential areas and use the bow instead. But still we should not stop the “deer hunt” because of the good it has in store for the city’s welfare. It is my idea that we should at least uphold the other methods that can ensure our safety from the deer when we hit the target number we want. How about the sterilization method? I think that this method is going to be the solution to our division. When we hit the target number of the deer population, the deer population control measure that are in handy with the female sterilization can do the deer soot a great deal of replacement through controlling of the female deer fertility. “We do, however, believe fertility control methods are an effective and preferred method over indiscriminate and controversial killing of healthy animals” (“Ann Arbor Deer Cull - Stop the Shoot - Nonlethal deer management”, n.d.). We should have a common goal here. The goal should be saving our city, our flora, our security from exposure to wildlife (Parallel Structure: Triplets).

Reference

Ann Arbor Deer Cull - Stop the Shoot - Nonlethal deer management. Retrieved from http://www.stoptheshoot.org/fertility-management

Bradford, A. (2018). Deforestation: Facts, Causes & Effects. Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/27692-deforestation.html

Christopher, D. (January 2016). Why ecologists support Ann Arbor’s deer cull. Retrieved from: https://www.bridgemi.com/guest-commentary/why-ecologists-support-ann-arbors-deer-cull

Stanton, R. (2018). 10 things to know about the 2018 deer cull in Ann Arbor. Mlive. Retrieved from https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2018/01/10_things_to_know_about_the_20_1.html

The Detroit News. (2018). Trees clearing to make room for Ann Arbor deer hunt. Retrieved from https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/01/25/ann-arbor-deer-hunt/109805266/