Also, we do work under a permit no different than a depredation permit issued to landowners to kill deer at night on their own property, except we are gaining very valuable reproduction data that you can not get by asking hunters. Asking 10 hunters when peak breeding occurs in an area is about useless. You'll get 7 different answers, maybe more.
Depredation permits are a creation of the DCNR, not our legislature. The DCNR has no authority to violate laws.
Our legislature authorized the Commissioner, by law, to open seasons for antlerless deer where depredation of crops occurs.
Quote:
Section 9-11-240 Opening of season for hunting, etc., of female deer and unantlered male deer.
Any law of the State of Alabama to the contrary notwithstanding, the Commissioner of Conservation and Natural Resources is hereby authorized to open a season in any county, area or section of the state for the hunting, taking, capturing and killing of female deer or unantlered male deer by a duly promulgated regulation when, in his best judgment, he deems it necessary for biological reasons or because of crop damage to open the season on such deer, provided this meets with the approval of the landowner or leaseholder.
(Acts 1966, Ex. Sess., No. 180, p. 213, § 1.)
How can violations of the law with DCNR permission be justified when the intent of the legislature was clearly to allow more hunting opportunities through longer seasons?
It makes no sense at all for the DCNR to close deer season in areas where populations so obviously need to be reduced, and then allow game wardens or hunters with permits to violate the law in order to reduce the population. If deer are being killed out of season and piled up to rot, then more data is not needed to justify longer seasons.
It doesn't take more "reproductive data" or "vaginal implants" to figure that one out. That kind of data is more necessary for wildlife management and manipulation of the population of the species than for its conservation.
If you've got too many deer, then you should allow hunters to do more hunting within the limits of the law.
Otherwise, we risk loss of respect for our game and fish laws and for the DCNR.
