Son,

We live in a crowded world.  There are many lifeforms competing for the same land, water, and air.  But we happen to be humans – so get out of the way other lifeforms.  That has been the human motto for thousands of years.  But I think we have pushed too hard.

Wildlife is now relegated to animal preserves and State Parks.  There are practical and moral consequences to the human overpopulation of this planet.  Organizations have grown out of movements to protect the morality of wildlife management.  Personally I have always been a big supporter of the Missouri Department of Conservation.  They are one of the more professional wildlife management organizations on the planet.  I say that because I agree with their balanced approach.

More extreme organizations create havoc – all in the name of morality.  I think of the opposing forces of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).  They take hard lines on positions because they fear any compromise will undermine their entire organization.

Here is what will be: Compromise.  Hunting deer in Missouri, for instance, is necessary to keep the deer population healthy.  There are no longer natural predators running wild and without annual deer hunts the deep population would grow to unhealthy numbers.  There would not be enough food, disease would spread, and the deer would ultimately suffer a fate worse than being mercifully shot. (Is that an oxymoron – mercifully shot?)

Get it together folks, we humans have created a real problem for our wildlife neighbors on this planet. A Planet that gets smaller every year.  We had better start working together to solve the problems.

Dad