Step aside, gray fox. The white-tailed deer is the chosen one.
State lawmakers on Monday voted overwhelmingly to approve legislation naming the ubiquitous deer Georgia's official state mammal. While House Bill 70 originally bestowed that honor to the gray fox, the bill's sponsor, Rep. Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus, said the change came at the request of the Department of Natural Resources.
The bill grew out of a Boy Scout project, Hugley said, as first-graders at Reese Road Leadership Academy in Columbus realized Georgia was one of three states with no state mammal. The children chose the fox, she said, but they “were convinced” by the DNR to choose the deer instead.
To make its case, the DNR presented a chart to the children offering several bits of information about deer, gray foxes, bobcats and even coyotes. Points made in favor of deer included that 85 percent of Georgians “feel that is is important that deer exist in Georgia.” Also, deer hunting has an economic impact in excess of $890 million in Georgia, producing $58 million-plus in state and local taxes, and “supporting more than 11,500 jobs.”
Gray foxes, by comparison, are responsible for nuisance complaints, including concerns about children and pets being attacked, and they are associated with diseases such as rabies and distemper. Bobcats and coyotes raised similar fears.
The bill passed the House 163-2, with Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom McCall, R-Elberton, and Rep. Tommy Benton, R-Jefferson, voting no.
McCall had a serious concern about the bill and few kind things to say about deer.
“If this aggravating nuisance of an animal becomes the state symbol, is it ever going to be where we can’t protect our property and crops just because it happens to be the state mammal?” McCall said.
Hugley assured him that the deer will gain no new protections from irate farmers.
Rep. Al Williams, D-Midway, had a more personal concern: What happens to venison jerky, venison sausage, venison burgers?
“This will not impede my ability to eat this fine-looking deer?” he asked.
Hugley told Williams it would not.
The bill now goes to the Senate.
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