Fruit growers still blaming deer

Dear editor: Orchardists in the Okanagan Valley have a long history of complaining about deer in their orchards.

A December 1984 report prepared in contract with Agriculture Canada and British Columbia Fruit Growers Association concluded damage to orchards in the Okanagan Valley by deer and elk is largely a result of the diminishing quality and quantity of winter range.

The report resulted in an attempt to propagate the two browse species on the ungulate winter range that had a high preference ratio: Redstem ceanothus (ceanothus sanguineous) and Buckbrush (ceanothus velutinus).

Unfortunately the loss of winter range to subdivisions and the expansion of orchards and vineyards since 1984 has seriously compromised wildlife populations. There is a long list of wildlife species in the Okanagan Valley that have literally lost every fight for survival.

The mule deer in the Global TV clip have experienced a dramatic decline in population province-wide which begs the question, why have fruit growers and vineyards not fenced their property?

Travel Highway. No. 3 between Grand Forks and Christina Lake and you will pass a 111/2 km wildlife fence on the north side of the highway.

The fence was built by a small team of hunters to honour a commitment to keep transplanted California Bighorn sheep off Highway No. 3. Barry Brandow Sr. Grand Forks