Deer not welcome

@JudyEv (364874)
Rockingham, Australia
July 24, 2025 7:29pm CST
On the news today I learnt that West Australia will allow aerial culling of deer in those areas where the animals are rapidly growing in numbers and becoming a problem to farmers. Deer are far more prevalent in the eastern states and farmers and graziers are keen to keep their numbers down here. There are three species in our state – fallow, red and rusa. They are not native to our country but became feral through escaping from deer farms or by deliberate release by hunters. They are now a declared pest. Just another problem for our farmers to deal with. I lost a lot of my wildlife photos so I only have this one of heads of a deer and a boar which were in a restaurant in France.
21 people like this
23 responses
Amber
@AmbiePam (105504)
• United States
25 Jul
It sounds terrible, doesn’t it. Even if we understand why.
4 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
Yes, it's a shame they have to do this but it's totally necessary.
2 people like this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (146302)
• Roseburg, Oregon
25 Jul
Poor farmers can they shoot the deer and eat the meat?
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
They can but venison isn't very popular here. And I think they'd want to shoot more than they could eat if they wanted to make a difference to the numbers.
1 person likes this
MeMoneyAndLove
@abhi_bangal (7684)
• Ahmednagar, India
26 Jul
@jstory07, If one of my friends knew that farmers can shoot and eat a deer, he would go crazy. Hahaha... because he has eaten that meet in the past and I don't think he will refuse if he gets a chance again
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
@abhi_bangal Some here eat venison but it's not regularly available in the butchers or at restaurants. I couldn't say it is popular.
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (160813)
• United States
25 Jul
I think every country now has some kind of feral pest that was released on purpose or by escaping from food farms... It's really sad that people release anything in a place it isn't native to.
2 people like this
DE
@DaddyEvil (160813)
• United States
25 Jul
@JudyEv I've watched videos about the cane toad releases in Australia. People really weren't thinking when they did that.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
The outcome can be devastating sometimes. Cane toads were one of the latest of the introduced pests.
1 person likes this
rakski
@rakski (149295)
• Philippines
25 Jul
oh wow, deer as a pest? that doesn't sound nice
2 people like this
rakski
@rakski (149295)
• Philippines
25 Jul
@JudyEv oh okay that is why they are considered as pest
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
@rakski Yes. They also trample crops and destroy fencing.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
They compete with domestic livestock for available food and water.
2 people like this
April
@thislittlepennyearns (65840)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
25 Jul
I do enjoy the guitar hanging from the deer. That's cute.
3 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
@thislittlepennyearns It was a memorable day.
1 person likes this
April
@thislittlepennyearns (65840)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
25 Jul
@JudyEv They wanted to make sure you had a good meal lol
2 people like this
Nature_Lover
@Mshafeeq (2767)
• Kuwait, Kuwait
25 Jul
Killing animals isn't prohibited there? By growing deers in numbers certainly farmers will face problems best they can do is instead of hunting them down just capture them and live it in zoo or far away in jungle.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
Some farmers farm deer but the ones that run wild do a lot of damage.
2 people like this
Nature_Lover
@Mshafeeq (2767)
• Kuwait, Kuwait
26 Jul
@JudyEv Yeah that's true.
1 person likes this
rsa101
@rsa101 (40463)
• Philippines
25 Jul
That’s really interesting—and a bit sad too. It’s tough when animals like deer, beautiful as they are, end up being labeled pests because of how they impact farming. I can see why farmers are concerned though—too many deer can really throw off the balance. It’s wild to think they became so widespread just from escapes and releases. Sorry to hear you lost your wildlife photos, but that deer and boar display from France sounds like a unique memory in itself!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
Kangaroos are regarded as pests in many areas too and are often shot.
2 people like this
rsa101
@rsa101 (40463)
• Philippines
25 Jul
@JudyEv It may seem harsh since I know kangaroos are native to your country. Their being there far surpassed the humans there, and they are now considered a pest in their own lands. I could understand invasive species like the deer, but the kangaroos are not...
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
@rsa101 Fair enough but if the kangaroos take over we'd all starve - unless we ate kangaroo exclusively I guess.
2 people like this
youless
@youless (113838)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Jul
I can only say that Australia is a wonderful land that suit many animals to grow. Of course it is my first time to hear that in Australia deer are regarded to pest. I know rabbits are quite a lot in Australia and people think a lot of methods to kill them. I'm not sure whether the quantity is under control today.
1 person likes this
youless
@youless (113838)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Jul
@JudyEv I don't know, as here we think rabbits are cute animals. And I don't even know emus and kangaroos do a lot of damages. I start to think that probably Australia is very good for many animals to live. Perhaps we shall send more pandas there so that they won't go extinct
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
@youless It's probably just a little bit too hot for pandas! lol
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
The fight against rabbits is ongoing. Emus and kangaroos can do a lot of damage to crops and farmland too.
2 people like this
MeMoneyAndLove
@abhi_bangal (7684)
• Ahmednagar, India
26 Jul
The deer looks beautiful. But it's terrifying to see the boar Is that a real picture of your house? I mean have you really kept them there?
1 person likes this
MeMoneyAndLove
@abhi_bangal (7684)
• Ahmednagar, India
26 Jul
@JudyEv Honestly, this time I didn't read it. Because as soon as I saw the picture, I jumped to comment
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
Did you read to the end? It was in a restaurant in France.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jul
@abhi_bangal That's okay but it's not a good practice. I've been caught myself.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (486346)
• Italy
25 Jul
I understand the need to get rid of them, but I feel so sorry when they have to be killed.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (486346)
• Italy
26 Jul
@JudyEv I have seen a horrible video how they shot wild horses in the USA. I feel sad for those animals, even if they are now considered pests.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
@LadyDuck They have tried to do that in the Snowy Mountains and there is a always a public furore when the subject is brought up.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
They're very pretty creatures. It's a sad situation.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (14574)
• Ireland
25 Jul
@judyev I do hope the deer get eaten. Maybe that’s not an option.
1 person likes this
Fiacre Banks
@xFiacre (14574)
• Ireland
25 Jul
@JudyEv I’d have it for starters and a main course. a waste of good Bambi. Still, it’ll feed the scavengers.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
They probably won't. Venison isn't incredibly popular here for starters.
Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23828)
• United Kingdom
25 Jul
Australia due to its vastness have a lot of problems with wild animals. It is a shame they become such pests,
1 person likes this
Gary Marsh
@garymarsh6 (23828)
• United Kingdom
26 Jul
@JudyEv Yes rabbits were introduced in the 1800's. A good everlasting supply of rabbit meat but they got out of control. I remember watching a programme when I was a young kid of the horrible culling of rabbits by introducing myxamatosis in Australia.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
Most of the pests have been introduced at one time or another.
1 person likes this
Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (6202)
• United Kingdom
25 Jul
I do understand the reasons but it is such a shame these animals are to be killed when they haven’t done anything wrong. Couldn’t they be moved elsewhere ?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
It would be impossible to round them up and where would they move them to? I know it's sad but something needs to be done.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
@Traceyjayne I don't think I'll go down that path!
Traceyjayne
@Traceyjayne (6202)
• United Kingdom
25 Jul
@JudyEv I wonder if the same would be said if it were a case of too many people ….!
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (205102)
• United States
25 Jul
I hate culling even though I know it's necessary. There was an owl on the west coast of the US that was causing problems for another species of owl. They went out and shot the problem causer. I love owls and thought that was cruel.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jul
Anything involving killing animals becomes problematic. They're just living their lives as best they can really.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
@LindaOHio The balance gets upset when new species are introduced, especially if conditions suit them.
1 person likes this
LindaOH
@LindaOHio (205102)
• United States
26 Jul
@JudyEv Yes; and if they move out another animal, that's just nature. It is what it is.
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (166266)
• United States
25 Jul
Maybe also put a hunting bounty on them? Releasing non native species does cause a lot of trouble.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
That's a good idea. I wonder if they've thought of that.
ultraman cosmos
@id_peace (16878)
• Singapore
25 Jul
If they are hunted, I hope that their meat will be given to those in need.
1 person likes this
ultraman cosmos
@id_peace (16878)
• Singapore
26 Jul
@JudyEv Leaving it to rot is a waste but I guess that since they are on helicopter, it could not be help.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
That would be the ideal but if they are being shot from helicopters then they're probably just left to rot.
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (124431)
• Marion, Ohio
25 Jul
It's sad to see them killed but since they are not native they need wiped out
1 person likes this
Eva James
@wolfgirl569 (124431)
• Marion, Ohio
26 Jul
@JudyEv I think every country does anymore.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
We have a lot of introduced creatures and they all eventually create problems.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (90497)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Jul
Just doesn't seem right but I can understand why,
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
They are very destructive in farming areas especially.
1 person likes this
George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (115690)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 Jul
It is a shame that your area has to deal with a deer population problem.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
True and it's a shame they were ever introduced in the first place.
1 person likes this
George B Vieto
@Deepizzaguy (115690)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
26 Jul
1 person likes this
sarika bhatia
@sarik1 (7615)
•
26 Jul
It is beautiful deer, but it is sad news.about it.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364874)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul
Yes, it is a pity that this is just about the only solution that would work.
1 person likes this