Star parties kick off this week and we’re already off to a weird observing season. Copies of a flyer were found blowing around the grounds at CGO. It reads as follows:
Dear UMUDF Members,
Spring is a season of hope. Across our meadows and woodlands, new life is arriving — wobbly-legged fawns taking their first uncertain steps into a world that is, unfortunately, heavily paved.
While we celebrate the joy of growing families, we must also acknowledge a sobering truth: human roadways and vehicle traffic remain the leading cause of deer mortality in our county — surpassing even regulated human hunting. That’s why the Upper Mississippi Ungulate Defense Fund (UMUDF) was created. Founded on a simple principle: we hoofed mammals were here first.
The UMUDF exists to protect you where you live, graze, and attempt to cross the road. Thanks to your membership dollars, we have begun installing “Human Passing” signage throughout high-risk corridors. You may have noticed the new Astronomer Passing signs along one popular late-night migratory route for this peculiar species of sleep-deprived human:
And yet, signage alone cannot solve the problem of thousands of pounds of metal moving through our neighborhoods at 55 miles per hour. We must do more.
That is why we are humbly asking you to consider a donation beyond your annual dues. Your generosity helps us counter the threat posed by human mobility systems and continue advocating for a future in which uninterrupted meadow-to-meadow connectivity is restored.
Together, we can create safer crossings, brighter tomorrows, and fewer startled encounters.
With hope, vigilance, and moderately raised tails,
The UMUDF Staff
