Careless littering leads owls into dangerous areas
A couple of weeks ago, I noticed three dead owls lying within a mile of the Guilford-Rockingham county line. All three were in the median strip on the side of the northbound lanes, likely victims of car strikes.
I wanted to alert our community that when we throw food out of our cars, it attracts mice. Hungry owls and hawks are attracted to the roadsides because of the rodents.
We can help reduce these accidental deaths by properly disposing of our leftovers (even apple cores) away from the busy highways.
A mouse is quickly replaced by another, but the loss of one of the remaining top predators takes a few years.
Jeff North
Reidsville
The writer is director of the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Educational Center in Reidsville.
Comments (8)
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Who?
Posted on February 2, 2009 7:45 AM
Good letter Jeff, now if people would just pay attention to it, instead of making fun of it, we would be set, wouldn't we? Not only birds of prey but other animals as well, oppossum, raccoons, even our own dogs and cats, can be hit by cars while eating food thrown from cars.
Posted on February 2, 2009 8:28 AM
I dont give a HOOT about the owls! The deer are the ones that cause humans to die in accidents and destroy alot of cars/trucks. They also attract alot more hawks, buzzards, etc. All you would have to do is extend the hunting season and increase the number limit. The one problem is, there are so many "trophy hunters" out there. The does are the ones that reproduce
Posted on February 2, 2009 9:22 AM
It may seem like there are more deer but the reality of the situation is that we are clearing wooded land that used to be their home now they have no place to go but into populated areas and become a problem on highways.
Last year, after a neighbor had cleared timber off of about 30 acres, a doe was hit on the main road near our house and then I saw the fawn run across our side road and into our woods, he had a wounded leg. Well, two hours later I went out and there lay the little fawn on the side of the road hit by a car. My heart goes out to these innocent animals that are loosing their wooded area homes.
The guy that cleared the land has done nothing with it as far as developing he just decided to clear it for no reason other than to just clear it.
What a waste. Not only did the deer loose their home but I also saw a fox and several raccoons wandering with no place to go.
As for the owls you should give a "hoot" as they are part of our ecological system!! Just as humans are, only difference is humans destroy more than they preserve.
Posted on February 2, 2009 11:07 AM
How many owls have caused someone to wreck and get killed? How many deer have been hit and humans killed because of that wreck? I think just last week a person was killed on 29 because of a deer that they tried to avoid.
Cutting timber is the means of making money. Itis sad but people are left with much of no other choice to cut. It would be better to select cut but until you own the 30 acres and are faced with it, dont judge.
It is common sense to know that the does are producing the fawns and they are not the deers that are getting killed in the hunting season. "Trophy hunting" is a big reason the deer are so populated. I agree that cleaning wooded areas take away homes for the animals, but the fact is, its not going to stop.
I may be wrong but I think my county only has a 2 week season. I have no idea why it couldnt be 2 weeks each in Nov, Dec and Jan.
The reason I dont give a HOOT is because the deaths of humans due to deer. I agree that owls, hawks, etc need to be kept around but the deer need to be reduced.
And, the littering problem is something that needs to be cracked down on by law enforcement. It is laziness to throw anything out the window of a car/truck.
Problem is and sad fact is, nothing much will change about anything- littering, deer, owls etc.
Posted on February 2, 2009 2:40 PM
The guy who cut has plenty of money and doesn't need to cut down the woods in the middle of a section of land, thus putting much wild life out it's habitat. We also own several acres of wooded land but we aren't cutting altho we could really use the money!!!! I think I have a right to judge, it is in MY neighborhood!!
As for the littering the law won't crack down on it because it is a hard law to enforce. Just this morning I picked up 2 grocery bags of trash on our main and side road frontage, most of which were bud light 20oz cans, tossed on several different days, so I am assuming that it is the same person, I have my suspicions as to who it is but unless I have photos or video there is nothing they will do. Been there tried that.
Posted on February 2, 2009 3:39 PM
I guess I should restate that first sentence, the 30 acres are in the middle of a section of land that people on 3 roads have adjoining property to. No one else has cut their timber.
Posted on February 2, 2009 3:44 PM
well no one was killed and it was not exactly owls but geese, that caused the plane to fall into the Hudson Bay, Any large bird getting sucked into a turbine engine is going to cause a problem with the aircraft and possibly crash and kill who knows how many people. Just responding to your comment about how many owls have caused someone to wreck or get killed.
Posted on February 3, 2009 1:34 PM