Drizzt
May 30, 2003, 01:30 AM
Ottawa Citizen
May 28, 2003 Wednesday Final Edition
SECTION: City; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 592 words
HEADLINE: Lanark landowners vow to sue ministry for deer damage: 'There are more deer on farms in Lanark County than livestock'
SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen
BYLINE: Jennifer Morrison
DATELINE: WESTPORT
BODY:
WESTPORT -- Frustrated members of the Lanark Landowners Association will soon follow through on their pledge to take the Ministry of Natural Resources to small claims court in Perth to recoup losses from deer browsing in the area, the group's president says.
"We're going to do it with an escalation of claims starting with one," said Randy Hillier. "And we're going for the maximum each time -- $10,000."
Earlier this month, the group served notice to the provincial government that on June 14, about 50 members, mostly from Lanark County and Renfrew, will systematically march on an as-yet undisclosed location and take part in a small and controlled hunt to eliminate nuisance deer.
"June 14, Father's Day weekend, there will be something good to do in Lanark," he said.
"Damage and loss are everywhere. There are more deer on farms in Lanark County than livestock. Farmers are shouldering the expenses of feeding the deer," Mr. Hillier said.
Merle Bowes will surely be at the hunt.
Mr. Bowes was one of about 150 farmers who gathered at the Old Fire Hall in Westport last night to express concern over property rights and gun control in rural areas.
Mr. Bowes, 52, who is also a member of the Lanark Landowners Association, operates a 46-hectare organic vegetable farm near Carleton Place.
Aside supporting his wife Ruth and four children Elaine, 20, Barb, 19, Don, 17 and Stuart, 16, he also unwillingly supports throngs of deer that have chosen to call his property home.
"I've spent a lot of money, lost a lot of produce and there are still more deer than ever," he said. "There are not many vegetables that the deer doesn't like. And I don't have any of them," he said.
Even his garlic crop has become a target.
He estimates that he loses about 30 per cent of his crop each year to deer browsing. On one day alone last year, he said he lost $1,000 worth of organic carrot crop. He's also spent thousands of dollars constructing a fence to try and keep them away. But now that's done, there's the added cost of maintaining it.
All his children help out with the farm operation and 16-year-old Stu was present last night.
"I see a lot of damage that the deer do. They damage the crops just enough that you can't sell them," he said.
Mr. Bowes' story is not unlike many others.
"Probably the only difference is the degree of losses. Some of our members are losing $50,000 plus a year," Mr. Hillier said.
Most of last night's meeting was given over to denouncing the federal gun registry law rather than nuisance deer.
A series of 25 colourful anti Bill C-68 signs served as a backdrop as speakers spoke out against the federal gun registry and both the federal and provincial governments.
"Gun Registration Does Not Work" "Firearms a Net Benefit to Society" "Repeal Replace an Unjust Law" -- were a few examples of the signs and the tone of the evening.
"The gun registry was a bad piece of legislation written to appease urban voters," said Gord Brown, Canadian Alliance candidate in Leeds-Grenville. "It's time to stop this arrogant wasteful program."
Garry Breitkreuz, a Canadian Alliance MP and opposition critic for firearms and property rights, was also present, expressing his discontent with the government's handling of the registry and the impact of the firearms act.
Notably absent was Liberal MP Joe Jordan.
Those in attendance last night were provided with Mr. Jordan's phone and fax numbers, as well as his constituency office address and urged to contact him to express their discontent.
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Deer that have been munching on garlic? Sounds pretty tasty to me....
May 28, 2003 Wednesday Final Edition
SECTION: City; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 592 words
HEADLINE: Lanark landowners vow to sue ministry for deer damage: 'There are more deer on farms in Lanark County than livestock'
SOURCE: The Ottawa Citizen
BYLINE: Jennifer Morrison
DATELINE: WESTPORT
BODY:
WESTPORT -- Frustrated members of the Lanark Landowners Association will soon follow through on their pledge to take the Ministry of Natural Resources to small claims court in Perth to recoup losses from deer browsing in the area, the group's president says.
"We're going to do it with an escalation of claims starting with one," said Randy Hillier. "And we're going for the maximum each time -- $10,000."
Earlier this month, the group served notice to the provincial government that on June 14, about 50 members, mostly from Lanark County and Renfrew, will systematically march on an as-yet undisclosed location and take part in a small and controlled hunt to eliminate nuisance deer.
"June 14, Father's Day weekend, there will be something good to do in Lanark," he said.
"Damage and loss are everywhere. There are more deer on farms in Lanark County than livestock. Farmers are shouldering the expenses of feeding the deer," Mr. Hillier said.
Merle Bowes will surely be at the hunt.
Mr. Bowes was one of about 150 farmers who gathered at the Old Fire Hall in Westport last night to express concern over property rights and gun control in rural areas.
Mr. Bowes, 52, who is also a member of the Lanark Landowners Association, operates a 46-hectare organic vegetable farm near Carleton Place.
Aside supporting his wife Ruth and four children Elaine, 20, Barb, 19, Don, 17 and Stuart, 16, he also unwillingly supports throngs of deer that have chosen to call his property home.
"I've spent a lot of money, lost a lot of produce and there are still more deer than ever," he said. "There are not many vegetables that the deer doesn't like. And I don't have any of them," he said.
Even his garlic crop has become a target.
He estimates that he loses about 30 per cent of his crop each year to deer browsing. On one day alone last year, he said he lost $1,000 worth of organic carrot crop. He's also spent thousands of dollars constructing a fence to try and keep them away. But now that's done, there's the added cost of maintaining it.
All his children help out with the farm operation and 16-year-old Stu was present last night.
"I see a lot of damage that the deer do. They damage the crops just enough that you can't sell them," he said.
Mr. Bowes' story is not unlike many others.
"Probably the only difference is the degree of losses. Some of our members are losing $50,000 plus a year," Mr. Hillier said.
Most of last night's meeting was given over to denouncing the federal gun registry law rather than nuisance deer.
A series of 25 colourful anti Bill C-68 signs served as a backdrop as speakers spoke out against the federal gun registry and both the federal and provincial governments.
"Gun Registration Does Not Work" "Firearms a Net Benefit to Society" "Repeal Replace an Unjust Law" -- were a few examples of the signs and the tone of the evening.
"The gun registry was a bad piece of legislation written to appease urban voters," said Gord Brown, Canadian Alliance candidate in Leeds-Grenville. "It's time to stop this arrogant wasteful program."
Garry Breitkreuz, a Canadian Alliance MP and opposition critic for firearms and property rights, was also present, expressing his discontent with the government's handling of the registry and the impact of the firearms act.
Notably absent was Liberal MP Joe Jordan.
Those in attendance last night were provided with Mr. Jordan's phone and fax numbers, as well as his constituency office address and urged to contact him to express their discontent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deer that have been munching on garlic? Sounds pretty tasty to me....