http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6953000


Someone posted this topic on another forum. Seems the deer are eating all the ginseng here in the mountain state. So this professor is saying to reintroduce natural predators like mountain lions and wolves to the Applachians to reduce deer herd numbers. Like the the lions and wolves are going to know to just eat deer and not people and livestock. I'd rather lose the ginseng plants. You can eat deer, but the benefits of ginseng are largly hype. If it was that great West Virginians would certainly be using it, instead of trading it in for beer money. If deer overbrowsing is a problem, it needs to be solved by better management, not introducing more problems.

Plinker

I'm with you Plinker. This really sounds like more eco-nut thought on its face. You can trust West Virginians to know the difference between cow flop and shinola!

I agree with you both. Wolves and Mt. Lions are far more dangerous that the existance of a 'trivial' herb. I would think that the wildlife officials would see that this is absurd and not even consider the prospect of this. I agree that the problem will arise that the cats are overpopulating as well as the wolves, and they will begin to wander onto farming land and even small town streets. No offense meant to any present company, but in my opinion, the tree huggers are taking this one too far. I don't even think they know what they are considering.