Although last fall’s deer hunting season is old news, there was a surprising number of hunters who agreed that they saw far fewer deer in the areas they hunted – areas where in previous years they saw larger numbers of deer. While acorn, mast and other primary deer foodstuff availability can be a factor in deer density changes in any given area, modifications in the overall habitat characteristics should never be underestimated as another factor.
Teddy Roosevelt, Aldo Leopold, John Audubon, Jim Corbett. What do all these men have in common? They are recognized as the greatest conservationists this country– and perhaps the world – has ever known. Another thing they had in common was they were all hunters. Unknown by many people today is the fact that Audubon was an avid hunter, and like the others, also had a deep appreciation and concern for conservation and wildlife. In his later writings he sounded the alarm about destruction of birds and habitats during a time when there were no laws to conserve wildlife or habitat.
Although as a society we have drifted increasingly farther away from our roots and ties to the outdoors as urban and suburban populations grew, many avid hunters and sportsmen still spend sufficient time there to be the “mine canaries” (canaries were often used in old mines to detect poisonous gases) when they observe negative changes occurring in our natural world beyond the city limits. Almost to a man or woman, they agree that the biggest threat is destruction of habitat, displaced or replaced by residential and commercial development. If the four men mentioned above were alive today, you can bet they would be alarmed at the direction our nation is going in regards to land development displacing or modifying habitat.
When natural habitat is displaced or modified by manmade measures, its impact goes far beyond what many may realize. Many species of wildlife are quite adaptable and can rapidly come to benefit from these changes, but the creation of this artificial habitat often has dire unnatural consequences, for both the wildlife and the residents that play host to them. Deer are no doubt the best example, as we now see much higher densities near cultivated and landscaped areas rather than the natural habitat of the woodlands. Even in the Far West, which we usually envision as sprawling natural habitat, increasingly more deer and elk are relocating near and around residential and commercial areas.
Not that habitat in its most mature climax stage is beneficial for many species of wildlife, but prior to mankind spreading and settling throughout the nation, natural modifications occurred – wildfires burned off vast areas of old growth, allowing sunlight to jumpstart new growth. Today, with so many residences being constructed and located in the more rural areas that were previously undevloped, major steps have been implemented to prevent or deter these fires, which means habitat is not being renewed in many cases. However, the remaining wildlife will often seek out and depend on the developed residential areas for their more attractive foodstuffs.
But the herbivores such as deer aren’t alone in their relocation to preferable manmade habitat that offers an easy smorgasbord. Several species of predators and scavengers have also made the switch. Previously elusive animals such as coyote, bear, and even puma find easier hunting there, snapping up pets and getting into garbage and other readily accessible foodstuffs people leave. In the process many are losing their natural fear of humans …and that can be dangerous.
