BeintheWater Outdoors

Springtime aspens, trout streams, children and newlyweds being photographed, snowy mountain peaks and a hillbilly being harassed road side by the locals as he tries to take it all in.

The Danger of a "Friendly" Face: Why We Must Keep Wildlife Wild

Take a look at this footage from our rfield observations 2 years ago. At first glance, it might look like a peaceful, even "Disney-like" moment—a whitetail doe standing just feet away, showing no fear and even looking back with curiosity.
But to a conservationist, this is a red flag. 🚩

What is Habituation?

Habituation occurs when wildlife loses its natural, healthy fear of humans due to repeated interaction, feeding, or constant proximity in "tame" environments. While it might feel special to have a deer approach you, this lack of fear is a death sentence for the animal and a threat to the health of the entire herd.

The September Decision
Once this specific doe was identified as fully habituated, the difficult but necessary decision was made to harvest her in early September. Here is why:

Disease Prevention: Habituated animals often congregate in high-traffic human areas, significantly increasing the risk of spreading diseases like Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
Behavioral Integrity: We cannot allow "tamed" behaviors to become the baseline for our local populations. True conservation is about protecting the wildness of the animal, not turning them into pets.
Safety: A deer that doesn't fear humans is a deer that will eventually end up in a dangerous encounter on a roadway or a backyard.
The "BeintheWater" Standard
Our mission at BeintheWater is to organize recreation like kayaking and hiking that respects the boundary between us and the wild.

When we advocate for scientific integrity at places like Raven Run, we are fighting to ensure that data isn't "corrupted" by these kinds of habituated populations.
What You Can Do:
1. Observe from a Distance: Use your zoom lens, not your feet.
2. Never Feed Wildlife: This is the fastest way to habituate a healthy animal.
3. Respect Management Goals: Sometimes, protecting a herd means making the hard choice to remove the individuals that have lost their way.
Let’s keep Kentucky’s woods wild. 🌲🦌

Have you ever thought to yourself, "where do I live?"

I guess I think about it sometimes. This morning I got my answer.

"I live in out in the woods you see. My woman, and the kids, and dogs and me. I've got shotgun, a rifle, and a 4-wheel drive..."

Ahhhhhh, hell... you know the rest.