Local Hunters Claim Cornell is Allowing for the Overhunting of Deer on its Land

In many areas across its 5,490 acres of land, Cornell allows for deer hunting, aiming to improve forest health. Local hunters like Bill Enslow, however, claim that overhunting is destroying the deer population. The Cornell Botanic Gardens website links increased deer populations to “reduced forest structure, decreased native plant populations …, increased invasive species growth, and higher rates of Lyme disease” in Cornell’s natural areas, when compared to 20-30 years priorago. Deer management, or deer hunting, the site states, makes for “good stewardship” of land. Enslow, however, believes “that nature will take care of itself.” “I don't believe there should be any hunting on Cornell land,” Enslow said in an interview with The Sun. “But if there [is], do what the state does with their hunting season, don't say, ‘well, the deer are killing off the woods,’ and do a genocide right now.” Enslow said he used to hunt deer in the University-owned Mount Pleasant area, but now claims that he does not see deer there anymore. Click the link in our bio to view the full article. Article by Shubha Gautam Filmed by Amogh Baradwaj Edited by Amogh Baradwaj Produced by Benjamin Leynse