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...

In Silvercreek, a wooded residential community just south of the City of Joplin, homes sit on acre lots or more, surrounded by mature trees, quiet trails, and seasonal wildlife. It’s not unusual to see a few deer grazing at dusk but when  24 deer were spotted on a single lawn , it raised more than eyebrows. It raised questions. Was this a case of overpopulation? Or was it learned behavior, shaped by human feeding patterns? Even if the current landowner didn’t intentionally feed the deer, it’s entirely possible that a previous resident used  corn, salt licks, or garden attractants , and the deer simply added the lawn to their migration circuit. Deer are creatures of habit. Once a location becomes a reliable food source, they return. Again and again. This sighting doesn’t confirm a biological crisis. It doesn’t prove that Joplin’s deer population is out of control. What it does suggest is something quieter, but just as urgent: The need for stricter and enforceable laws o...