Protest Over Sharpshooters’ Presence on Hudson Valley Campus

Protesters are hoping that they can stop sharpshooters from being invited to a Hudson Valley college to help control the deer population.

Vassar College will once again be holding a cull to help control the population of deer on its campus. Last year, sharpshooters from the U.S. Department of Agriculture visited the campus to eliminate deer that have bred to unsustainable numbers.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that a group of activists are once again objecting to the measures, characterizing them inhumane. The group, calling themselves "Save Our Deer," held a rally on Saturday hoping to have their voices heard.

Vassar says that there are nearly 80 deer living on their farm and ecological preserve. The acreage, they say, can only sustain around 10 deer. As a result, vegetation has been completely eaten, including most of the new saplings in the preserve area. The college expects the cull to be completed by January 24.

Last year we conducted a poll asking if you agree with the college's plan to bait and kill the deer on their campus. A majority did, with some commenting how deer have become a nuisance in many areas of the Hudson Valley, not just Vassar College. What do you think? Are the college's measures justified?