On September 10, Bethesda resident Eilene Cohhn of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) filed a temporary restraining order to shut down a Maryland deer hunt. The Pilot Archery Managed Deer Hunting Program was designed to cull the problematic deer population in Montgomery County, and was scheduled to begin on September 11.
PETA filed the restraining order with the Montgomery County Circuit Court, but a judge quickly denied the motion. The state-wide archery deer hunting season was scheduled to begin the same day, and both proceeded as planned. The managed deer hunting program is the first time state agencies have attempted to cull the local deer population with archers. PETA attorney Jeffrey Kerr argued that bows can cause lasting injuries, and tried to paint a bloody picture for the court, arguing that the county was “going to have bloody, horribly injured deer ending up in people’s backyards.”
But park officials pointed to a rash of Lyme disease cases and deer-related car crashes in defending the hunt. Registered participants with permits can hunt in 733 acres of Watts Branch Stream Valley Park in Potomac and part of the Great Seneca Valley Stream Park in Germantown. About 38 million Americans go hunting and fishing every year, but the participants in the Maryland bow hunting program had to demonstrate extensive skills in the sport.
Not only were hunters required to complete the Maryland Hunter Education and Safety Course and a National Bowhunter Education Foundation course, but they had to include a hunting resume and a list of verifiable references as well. They also had to pass a background check and demonstrate that they had at least three years of bowhunting experience.
When deer populations grow too large, the animals can cause extensive damage to crops and home gardens, and can even contribute to fatal car accidents. One report estimated the total national damage from deer to exceed $2 billion, “including $1 billion in car damages, more than $100 million in agricultural crop damage, $750 million in damage to the timber industry, and more than $250 million in damage to metropolitan households.”
Ironically, after failing to stop the bowhunt, the PETA lawyer advocated that hunters use firearms instead. New weapons restrictions make that unlikely as well.