Re: “Deer-fence advocates don’t understand farms,” letter, Feb. 28; “What has happened on the deer issue?” letter, Feb. 24.
One letter-writer is worrying about the exponential increase in the deer population as we come up to fawn season. The facts are that 50 per cent of fawns die at birth and 40-70 per cent die in the first year.
Of the surviving deer, many are killed on the roads. An orphaned fawn cannot survive without its mother.
Regarding deer fencing, I would like the other letter-writer to know that this armchair commentator walked quite a few feet last summer talking to farmers who were successfully using fencing to keep the deer at bay. One farmer put up his fencing 35 years ago and has never had to repair or replace it.
Fencing works, especially if you allow a wildlife corridor beside it, as is the case with Madrona Farms, Haliburton Farms and others.
Farmers who neglected to fence in the past are now facing higher costs. However, one of the recommendations from the Capital Regional District, not well publicized, is to apply to renew the fencing subsidy for farmers from the provincial and federal governments.
Val Boswell
Victoria
