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Good Hunting?

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A deer is seen in the South Mountain Reservation in West Orange, N.J., near private homes Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. Sharpshooters will take to the trees next week in South Mountain Reservation to deal with a problem that has become the scourge of many suburban communities: too many deer. Proponents of the 10-day hunt say the number of white-tailed deer must be reduced because they are destroying the vegetation, becoming a hazard for motorists and spread Lyme disease, which is carried by ticks on the deer. (AP)
A deer is seen in the South Mountain Reservation in West Orange, N.J., near private homes, on Jan. 25, 2008. (AP)

Now, key wildlife populations are making a comeback, maybe into your backyard. Deer, coyote, moose, bear, wild turkey. Cougar. Wolf.

They’re rubbing up against a lot of people. On the street. On the golf course. And hunting is way down. Some say it’s time to bring hunting back, to strike the balance. Others say no more playing God with guns.

This hour, On Point: Thinking again about hunting.

You can join the conversation. Are animals crowding humans, or is it the other way around? Is hunting the way to solve problems between people and animals?Guests:

From Fairhope, Alabama, we're joined by Matthew Teague, a journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. His article in the Nov. 24 issue of Sports Illustrated is "A More Dangerous Game: How the decline of hunting is changing the natural order of predator and prey."

From Washington, D.C., we're joined by Doug Inkley. He's a wildlife biologist for the National Wildlife Federation, specializing in ecology and wildlife management.

Joining us from Long Island, New York, is John Rocchetta, a land steward who manages properties on Long Island.

And from Vancouver, British Columbia, is Brian Vincent, founder of Big Wildlife, an Oregon-based conservation group. 

This program aired on December 3, 2008.

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