Fieldnotes on the Edge - Eyes on Joplin

  Bowhunting begins tomorrow, September 15th, in the city of Joplin. According to the ordinance and city council statements, the hunt is intended to thin the herd primarily to reduce car accidents, protect ornamental trees and flowers, and lower the risks of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Lyme Disease. The central claim is that the deer population has grown significantly. One homeowner in the Silvercreek community, a rural area south of Joplin with estate homes and wooded acreage, reported seeing 24 deer grazing in his yard. No time stamped photo was found in a public search, so it’s hard to verify.  This evening, my husband and I went out at dusk to observe the herd ourselves. We drove through the Leewood community and up and down the streets of Silvercreek, looking for signs of deer and yard destruction. What we found were beautifully landscaped homes with lush flowers still blooming on their front lawns. What we didn’t find was a herd. We did see a late-season doe...