Robben Island has given conservationists until the end of the month to obtain permits for the live capture and removal of about 30 remaining fallow deer, or it will continue the culling process.
Lekgetho James Makola, acting senior manager at Robben Island Museum, said the cut-off date was necessary so a final decision could be taken on whether the culling of the deer would resume.
Robben Island officials have met representatives from animal welfare group Four Paws International, which runs the Lions Rock sanctuary in the Free State, to discuss a proposal for the capture and relocation of the fallow deer.
Makola said Four Paws International presented a proposal for the sterilisation, capture and removal of the deer.
"We have approved their proposal and have given the go-ahead for them to obtain permits for the relocation."
According to Makola, Four Paws International has until the January 31 to come up with the permits.
He said the island had tried for three years to obtain such permits, but all applications had failed.
About 220 deer have been culled in the problem animal control operation under way on the island.
Three months ago, the museum, CapeNature, SPCA, and others were approached by interest groups offering to find an alternative home for the deer, and agreed to suspend the culling.
Makola said he hoped Lions Rock would meet the requirements set by CapeNature.
"We are hoping that their application will be successful, so that we can put this behind us.
"But if they fail to do so, we will have to revert to the culling programme."
Dr Amir Khalil, director of project development at Four Paws, said the organisation had offered "to assist with the capture and removal of the fallow deer, and placement in a sanctuary approved by relevant parties".
"The monitoring and supervision of the capture, sterilisation and translocation will be done exclusively by the SPCA Cape of Good Hope," he said.
Four Paws had agreed to carry the cost of the capture, translocation, logistics and life-long care of the deer.
"The best time to move the animals is in March and April, but we are ready at any time to do the transfer."
Khalil said Four Paws was awaiting a response from Free State Nature Conservation about the permits.
"Once we obtain these, we can summit a full application to CapeNature for a final decision on whether a capture and transport permit will be approved," he said.
Source: Independent Online
Friday, January 22, 2010
VIRGINIA NEWS: Chronic Wasting Disease Detected in State
Chronic wasting disease has been found for the first time in a Virginia white-tailed deer.
A hunter in Frederick County killed the sickened deer this month, less than a mile from where the disease was found several years ago in West Virginia.
The illness affects portions of the deer's brain and causes a general decrease in body condition, behavioral changes, excess salivation and death.
The disease affects deer only and is not transmittable to humans or other animals, including livestock, dogs or cats.
Virginia now joins 17 states and Canadian provinces where the illness has been found.
Source: NBC29
A hunter in Frederick County killed the sickened deer this month, less than a mile from where the disease was found several years ago in West Virginia.
The illness affects portions of the deer's brain and causes a general decrease in body condition, behavioral changes, excess salivation and death.
The disease affects deer only and is not transmittable to humans or other animals, including livestock, dogs or cats.
Virginia now joins 17 states and Canadian provinces where the illness has been found.
Source: NBC29
Thursday, January 21, 2010
ILLINOIS NEWS: Near Record Deer Harvest in 2009
Officials say hunters killed nearly 200,000 deer in the latest deer hunting season.
Illinois Department of Natural Resources says a still-preliminary figure of 189,277 deer for the 2009-2010 season compares with a similar total of 188,901 for the 2008-2009 period.
The agency says hunters took 50.5 percent does and 49.5 percent males in the latest harvest.
Illinois' record deer harvest occurred in 2005-2006 season, when 201,301 deer were taken.
Source: BND.com
Illinois Department of Natural Resources says a still-preliminary figure of 189,277 deer for the 2009-2010 season compares with a similar total of 188,901 for the 2008-2009 period.
The agency says hunters took 50.5 percent does and 49.5 percent males in the latest harvest.
Illinois' record deer harvest occurred in 2005-2006 season, when 201,301 deer were taken.
Source: BND.com
MISSOURI NEWS: 2009 Marks Fourth Largest Harvest in State History
The Missouri Department of Conservation reported Wednesday that this year’s harvest of white-tailed deer was the fourth-largest in state history.
The season closed Friday with Missouri hunters checking a total of 299,461 deer during the 152 days of hunting, according to a department news release. Hunters took most of the deer during the November portion of the season. During those 10 days, 193,155 deer were checked with the department.
Despite the brutally cold weather that gripped Missouri for the past few months, every portion of the season was up from the previous season. Muzzleloader kills went up by 55 percent from last season, and youth kills went up by 44 percent. Both set new state records. Archers took 7,538 more deer than in 2008.
Source: Columbia Missourian
The season closed Friday with Missouri hunters checking a total of 299,461 deer during the 152 days of hunting, according to a department news release. Hunters took most of the deer during the November portion of the season. During those 10 days, 193,155 deer were checked with the department.
Despite the brutally cold weather that gripped Missouri for the past few months, every portion of the season was up from the previous season. Muzzleloader kills went up by 55 percent from last season, and youth kills went up by 44 percent. Both set new state records. Archers took 7,538 more deer than in 2008.
Source: Columbia Missourian
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
IOWA NEWS: Deer Feeding Illegal in Clive
Residents intentionally setting out food for deer would have 24 hours to remove it or face fines.
Officials hope a proposed law against deer feeding will lower Clive's deer population to recommended levels.
The Clive City Council voted 5-0 on Jan. 7 to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would create fines for residents caught leaving food out for deer. The council will have to vote on the ordinance at least one more meeting before it can be enacted.
The Parks and Recreation Board met several times in recent months to discuss deer feeding. According to the Polk County Deer Task Force, the city has 50 deer per square mile of habitat. The Department of Natural Resources recommends holding the deer population to 15 per square mile.
Overpopulation comes with an increased risk of Lyme disease for people and pets, and of course, damage to vehicles.
"They are wonderful animals to look at and everyone enjoys them, but we have plenty of them in the city of Clive," Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Canfield told the council.
Canfield said his department has received reports of Clive residents putting out mineral blocks, fruit and grain to attract deer to their yards.
"My hands are pretty well tied," he said. "I can't really go out and do anything with that."
If the ordinance is enacted, residents caught feeding deer will be given 24 hours to remove the deer feed before incurring a fine. The ordinance would create a $750 fine for the first time someone was found feeding deer, and a $1,000 fine for the second offense. Canfield said his department would hope to convince residents to stop feeding deer without having to actually fine anyone.
The ordinance would not prohibit bird feeders, which can sometimes attract deer. Nor would it prohibit fruit trees or vegetable gardens that deer might enjoy.
Urbandale enacted a similar ordinance in November 2007. Councilman Eric Klein said Urbandale's policy drove deer to neighboring cities where residents can still put out food for them.
"Inadvertently, we've become a magnet for more deer," Klein said.
Source: DeMoines Register
Officials hope a proposed law against deer feeding will lower Clive's deer population to recommended levels.
The Clive City Council voted 5-0 on Jan. 7 to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would create fines for residents caught leaving food out for deer. The council will have to vote on the ordinance at least one more meeting before it can be enacted.
The Parks and Recreation Board met several times in recent months to discuss deer feeding. According to the Polk County Deer Task Force, the city has 50 deer per square mile of habitat. The Department of Natural Resources recommends holding the deer population to 15 per square mile.
Overpopulation comes with an increased risk of Lyme disease for people and pets, and of course, damage to vehicles.
"They are wonderful animals to look at and everyone enjoys them, but we have plenty of them in the city of Clive," Parks and Recreation Director Kelly Canfield told the council.
Canfield said his department has received reports of Clive residents putting out mineral blocks, fruit and grain to attract deer to their yards.
"My hands are pretty well tied," he said. "I can't really go out and do anything with that."
If the ordinance is enacted, residents caught feeding deer will be given 24 hours to remove the deer feed before incurring a fine. The ordinance would create a $750 fine for the first time someone was found feeding deer, and a $1,000 fine for the second offense. Canfield said his department would hope to convince residents to stop feeding deer without having to actually fine anyone.
The ordinance would not prohibit bird feeders, which can sometimes attract deer. Nor would it prohibit fruit trees or vegetable gardens that deer might enjoy.
Urbandale enacted a similar ordinance in November 2007. Councilman Eric Klein said Urbandale's policy drove deer to neighboring cities where residents can still put out food for them.
"Inadvertently, we've become a magnet for more deer," Klein said.
Source: DeMoines Register
ARKANSAS NEWS: Hope Considers Urban Cull
City officials in Hope are considering an urban deer hunting season with bows and arrows.
The high concentration of deer roaming the city's street has the Board of Directors seriously considering an urban hunt for the fall, which should be decided on by no later than March, said City Manager Catherine Cook.
If approved, Hope would join Bull Shoals, Hot Springs Village, Cherokee Village and Heber Springs as the only Arkansas cities with urban hunts.
In the past six years, 28 deer have collided with vehicles within Hope city limits, including one collision with a police patrol car, according to a report from Police Chief J.R. Wilson.
City officials say manicured lawns, flowers, fruit-bearing trees and shrubs within city limits lure the deer out of the woods.
Early last fall, Board Member Don Still proposed the city consider ways to deal with deer living in the city limits. The board soon after consulted with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, which suggested an urban hunt, incorporating the city limits into the regular bow hunting season and restricting feeding deer within the city.
"A special season was picked for this hunt. There is a no bag limit, although the goal is to bag at least 150 deer to keep up with the births from the previous year," according to a report from the Game & Fish Commission.
Source: FoxNews
The high concentration of deer roaming the city's street has the Board of Directors seriously considering an urban hunt for the fall, which should be decided on by no later than March, said City Manager Catherine Cook.
If approved, Hope would join Bull Shoals, Hot Springs Village, Cherokee Village and Heber Springs as the only Arkansas cities with urban hunts.
In the past six years, 28 deer have collided with vehicles within Hope city limits, including one collision with a police patrol car, according to a report from Police Chief J.R. Wilson.
City officials say manicured lawns, flowers, fruit-bearing trees and shrubs within city limits lure the deer out of the woods.
Early last fall, Board Member Don Still proposed the city consider ways to deal with deer living in the city limits. The board soon after consulted with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, which suggested an urban hunt, incorporating the city limits into the regular bow hunting season and restricting feeding deer within the city.
"A special season was picked for this hunt. There is a no bag limit, although the goal is to bag at least 150 deer to keep up with the births from the previous year," according to a report from the Game & Fish Commission.
Source: FoxNews
Monday, January 18, 2010
OHIO NEWS: Salon Suspends Deer Cull, Cites Cost
Deer need not fear sharpshooters in Solon for now. One of the few cities in northeast Ohio that contracted for culling has suspended the practice for at least this year.
Mayor Susan Drucker said a tighter budget and the need to examine how often culling is necessary are the major reasons council halted the program.
But the thinning of deer herds continues. Park districts in Cuyahoga and Summit still use sharpshooters and a number of municipalities allow residents to bow hunt in-season.
Culling is expensive. Solon spent $782,925 over the past five years. The city paid for the shooters, meat processing, and police overtime
The program, hotly contested by animal-rights activists and residents concerned with safety, was started in 2005 because of the high number of deer-vehicle accidents and complaints of yard damage.
The arguments in favor of culling are echoed in other communities where deer are multiplying.
Before hunting season last year, Ohio counted 650,000 deer, said Scott Peters of the Department of Wildlife, and 252,000 were harvested.
In 2008, deer-vehicle collisions numbered 25,000 statewide (459 of those in Cuyahoga County), and have dropped because of culling, Mr. Peters said.
In Solon, deer-vehicle collisions dipped to 54 last year from 161 in 2004, Ms. Drucker said, and the city's deer population as of September was 450 compared to 1,200 in 2005.
Cleveland Metroparks will spend $45,000 to thin herds with sharpshooters through February, spokesman Jane Christyson said.
A total of 343 deer will be taken in the Metroparks' Bedford, Bradley Woods, Brecksville, Mill Stream Run, North Chagrin, and Rocky River reservations, she said.
The park district has tried to reduce its deer numbers for 11 years, but for a different reason.
Mr. Peters said more than 15 communities in Cuyahoga and Summit counties allow residents to bow hunt, which costs less than a formal management program because hunters pay the cost of permits and meat processing.
Twinsburg Mayor Katherine Procop said she has not heard any complaints about bow hunting in the city, which is regulated. Hunters must pass an archery proficiency test, hunt in an area 4 acres or larger, and get written permission from the landowner.
Broadview Heights will vote Feb. 16 on a measure to permit bow hunting starting next season. Bow hunting in Ohio ends Feb. 7.
Source: Toledo Blade
Mayor Susan Drucker said a tighter budget and the need to examine how often culling is necessary are the major reasons council halted the program.
But the thinning of deer herds continues. Park districts in Cuyahoga and Summit still use sharpshooters and a number of municipalities allow residents to bow hunt in-season.
Culling is expensive. Solon spent $782,925 over the past five years. The city paid for the shooters, meat processing, and police overtime
The program, hotly contested by animal-rights activists and residents concerned with safety, was started in 2005 because of the high number of deer-vehicle accidents and complaints of yard damage.
The arguments in favor of culling are echoed in other communities where deer are multiplying.
Before hunting season last year, Ohio counted 650,000 deer, said Scott Peters of the Department of Wildlife, and 252,000 were harvested.
In 2008, deer-vehicle collisions numbered 25,000 statewide (459 of those in Cuyahoga County), and have dropped because of culling, Mr. Peters said.
In Solon, deer-vehicle collisions dipped to 54 last year from 161 in 2004, Ms. Drucker said, and the city's deer population as of September was 450 compared to 1,200 in 2005.
Cleveland Metroparks will spend $45,000 to thin herds with sharpshooters through February, spokesman Jane Christyson said.
A total of 343 deer will be taken in the Metroparks' Bedford, Bradley Woods, Brecksville, Mill Stream Run, North Chagrin, and Rocky River reservations, she said.
The park district has tried to reduce its deer numbers for 11 years, but for a different reason.
Mr. Peters said more than 15 communities in Cuyahoga and Summit counties allow residents to bow hunt, which costs less than a formal management program because hunters pay the cost of permits and meat processing.
Twinsburg Mayor Katherine Procop said she has not heard any complaints about bow hunting in the city, which is regulated. Hunters must pass an archery proficiency test, hunt in an area 4 acres or larger, and get written permission from the landowner.
Broadview Heights will vote Feb. 16 on a measure to permit bow hunting starting next season. Bow hunting in Ohio ends Feb. 7.
Source: Toledo Blade
Friday, January 15, 2010
MICHIGAN NEWS: Ella Sharp Park Cull Winding Down
The third annual deer harvest at Ella Sharp Park and the Cascades Golf Course is nearly over.
Eric Terrian, Ella Sharp Park superintendent, said sharpshooters with Aaron's Nuisance, a local animal control company, killed 16 deer Thursday, bringing the total to 67 since the harvest started Sunday.
"Last night was a good night," Terrian said. "Obviously because of the weather, the deer are on the move."
The goal is again 80 deer. If sharpshooters can take another 13 deer Friday, the harvest will be over. If not, it will not resume until 4 p.m. Monday to let people use the parks over the weekend, Terrian said.
An unknown person firing a rifle at the park Monday night slowed the harvest. Terrian said the shooter still has not been identified.
When the harvest is over, 240 deer will have been killed in two years. Terrian said there are still hundreds of deer in the parks and if not for the harvest there would be several hundred more.
"The harvest is helping," Terrian said.
Source: MLive
Eric Terrian, Ella Sharp Park superintendent, said sharpshooters with Aaron's Nuisance, a local animal control company, killed 16 deer Thursday, bringing the total to 67 since the harvest started Sunday.
"Last night was a good night," Terrian said. "Obviously because of the weather, the deer are on the move."
The goal is again 80 deer. If sharpshooters can take another 13 deer Friday, the harvest will be over. If not, it will not resume until 4 p.m. Monday to let people use the parks over the weekend, Terrian said.
An unknown person firing a rifle at the park Monday night slowed the harvest. Terrian said the shooter still has not been identified.
When the harvest is over, 240 deer will have been killed in two years. Terrian said there are still hundreds of deer in the parks and if not for the harvest there would be several hundred more.
"The harvest is helping," Terrian said.
Source: MLive
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Deer Culled in Norristown Farm Park
Hunters killed 44 deer in Norristown Farm Park Wednesday during a controlled hunt to trim the herd.
Forty people were picked in a public lottery Dec. 5 at the park’s headquarters to participate, but fewer showed up, according to Montgomery County Communications Director John Corcoran.
“Forty hunters were selected and five standbys, but there were only 32 hunters (Wednesday),” he said.
Overpopulation of deer in the Farm Park has wreaked havoc on the ecosystem, totally denuding wooded tracts of vegetation up to five feet above the ground, making the hunt necessary, said Corcoran.
The hunters were armed with 12-gauge shotguns containing slug ammunition; no buckshot was allowed. Shotguns using slug loads have a limited range but more stopping power, thus reducing the chance of a wounded a deer fleeing the park and onto nearby roadways. Also, all participants were required to hunt from a tree stands equipped with safety harnesses.
The county’s Parks and Heritage Services seeks to bring the deer herd, which now numbers between 200 and 300, into balance with the one-square-mile park’s available resources. That still leaves much higher deer density than the nine to 20 deer per square mile level recommended by wildlife biologists.
“For us, it’s a land management issue,” Corcoran said.
The 44 deer culled from the herd included doe and buck, called “button buck,” too young to have grown antlers.
Hunters selected in the lottery were permitted to scout the prospective hunting area, and with park approval, choose a tree where they wanted set up their portable climber the day of the hunt. As well, hunters were prohibited from firing in the direction of roadways.
“They have regulations as to which direction you can shoot,” Corcoran said.
The Farm Park, which was be closed to the general public during the hunt, was closely monitored by law enforcement officials for safety and compliance.
Norristown Farm Park, located at the intersection of Germantown Pike and North Wales Road, is owned by the state and is operated by the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Heritage Services. The park is typically open for passive recreation seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. The park is also used for farming operations.
Each November, the county permits bow hunters to shoot deer in Lorimer Park near Abington.
Source: Times Herald
Forty people were picked in a public lottery Dec. 5 at the park’s headquarters to participate, but fewer showed up, according to Montgomery County Communications Director John Corcoran.
“Forty hunters were selected and five standbys, but there were only 32 hunters (Wednesday),” he said.
Overpopulation of deer in the Farm Park has wreaked havoc on the ecosystem, totally denuding wooded tracts of vegetation up to five feet above the ground, making the hunt necessary, said Corcoran.
The hunters were armed with 12-gauge shotguns containing slug ammunition; no buckshot was allowed. Shotguns using slug loads have a limited range but more stopping power, thus reducing the chance of a wounded a deer fleeing the park and onto nearby roadways. Also, all participants were required to hunt from a tree stands equipped with safety harnesses.
The county’s Parks and Heritage Services seeks to bring the deer herd, which now numbers between 200 and 300, into balance with the one-square-mile park’s available resources. That still leaves much higher deer density than the nine to 20 deer per square mile level recommended by wildlife biologists.
“For us, it’s a land management issue,” Corcoran said.
The 44 deer culled from the herd included doe and buck, called “button buck,” too young to have grown antlers.
Hunters selected in the lottery were permitted to scout the prospective hunting area, and with park approval, choose a tree where they wanted set up their portable climber the day of the hunt. As well, hunters were prohibited from firing in the direction of roadways.
“They have regulations as to which direction you can shoot,” Corcoran said.
The Farm Park, which was be closed to the general public during the hunt, was closely monitored by law enforcement officials for safety and compliance.
Norristown Farm Park, located at the intersection of Germantown Pike and North Wales Road, is owned by the state and is operated by the Montgomery County Department of Parks and Heritage Services. The park is typically open for passive recreation seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. The park is also used for farming operations.
Each November, the county permits bow hunters to shoot deer in Lorimer Park near Abington.
Source: Times Herald
WEST VIRGINIA NEWS: 2009 Deer Harvest Down 5% Compared to 2008
The Division of Natural Resources says West Virginia hunters bagged fewer deer in 2009 then they did the year before.
According to figures released Thursday, hunters killed 154,524 deer during the state's multiple deer seasons. In 2008 hunters killed 163,603 deer.
Overall, hunters killed 63,590 deer during the 2009 buck season, 54,617 during the antlerless season, 27,558 during the bow season and 8,759 during muzzleloader season.
Source: Philly Burbs
According to figures released Thursday, hunters killed 154,524 deer during the state's multiple deer seasons. In 2008 hunters killed 163,603 deer.
Overall, hunters killed 63,590 deer during the 2009 buck season, 54,617 during the antlerless season, 27,558 during the bow season and 8,759 during muzzleloader season.
Source: Philly Burbs
WEST VIRGINIA NEWS: Recent CWD Cases in Hampshire County
Preliminary test results indicate the Chronic Wasting Disease agent was present in 16 hunter-harvested deer collected in Hampshire County during the 2009 deer firearms hunting season.
“As part of our agency’s ongoing CWD monitoring effort, samples were collected from 1,091 hunter-harvested deer brought to game checking stations in Hampshire County and one station near the southern Hampshire County line in Hardy County,” notes Frank Jezioro, Director for the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources.
The 16 CWD positive deer included one 4.5 year-old doe, one 2.5 year-old doe, one 1.5 year-old buck, ten 2.5 year-old bucks and three 3.5 year-old bucks. Thirteen of the latest positive deer were harvested within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area (i.e., that portion of Hampshire County located North of U.S. Route 50). However, three were located outside the containment area but still within Hampshire County.
The area in Hampshire County from which CWD has been detected continues to expand, and the number of infected deer detected this year is 2.5 times more than last year.
CWD has now been detected in a total of 62 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., two road-killed deer, one in 2005 and one in 2008; four deer collected by the WVDNR in 2005; five deer collected by the WVDNR in 2006; one hunter-harvest deer taken during the 2006 deer season; three deer collected by the WVDNR in 2007; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2007 deer season; 11 deer collected by the WVDNR in 2008; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2008 deer season; eight deer collected by the WVDNR in 2009; and 16 hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2009 deer season).
“The WVDNR will continue to update management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state as information from deer testing within West Virginia is gathered and scientists across the country provide more information on how to combat CWD in white-tailed deer,” says Jezioro.
So far, the following disease management actions have been placed into operation by the WVDNR within Hampshire County:
- Implemented CWD testing efforts designed to determine the prevalence and distribution of the disease.
- Established antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase hunter opportunity to harvest female deer, adjust deer populations to desired levels and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
- Established deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the risk of moving the disease to other locations.
- Established regulations designed to prohibit the feeding and baiting of deer within the affected area and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
“Despite our agency’s best efforts, we continue to struggle with CWD in Hampshire County,” says Jezioro. “I am particularly concerned that some individuals are not complying with regulations prohibiting the feeding and baiting of deer within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area.”
The WVDNR intends to renew its outreach efforts with the public on the critical need for compliance with this regulation. In addition, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken if these problems are not resolved.
“As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the continued support and involvement of landowners and hunters will be essential,” says Jezioro. “The WVDNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions as we go forward.”
Source: WHSV
“As part of our agency’s ongoing CWD monitoring effort, samples were collected from 1,091 hunter-harvested deer brought to game checking stations in Hampshire County and one station near the southern Hampshire County line in Hardy County,” notes Frank Jezioro, Director for the W.Va. Division of Natural Resources.
The 16 CWD positive deer included one 4.5 year-old doe, one 2.5 year-old doe, one 1.5 year-old buck, ten 2.5 year-old bucks and three 3.5 year-old bucks. Thirteen of the latest positive deer were harvested within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area (i.e., that portion of Hampshire County located North of U.S. Route 50). However, three were located outside the containment area but still within Hampshire County.
The area in Hampshire County from which CWD has been detected continues to expand, and the number of infected deer detected this year is 2.5 times more than last year.
CWD has now been detected in a total of 62 deer in Hampshire County (i.e., two road-killed deer, one in 2005 and one in 2008; four deer collected by the WVDNR in 2005; five deer collected by the WVDNR in 2006; one hunter-harvest deer taken during the 2006 deer season; three deer collected by the WVDNR in 2007; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2007 deer season; 11 deer collected by the WVDNR in 2008; six hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2008 deer season; eight deer collected by the WVDNR in 2009; and 16 hunter-harvested deer taken during the 2009 deer season).
“The WVDNR will continue to update management actions designed to control the spread of this disease, prevent further introduction of the disease, and possibly eliminate the disease from the state as information from deer testing within West Virginia is gathered and scientists across the country provide more information on how to combat CWD in white-tailed deer,” says Jezioro.
So far, the following disease management actions have been placed into operation by the WVDNR within Hampshire County:
- Implemented CWD testing efforts designed to determine the prevalence and distribution of the disease.
- Established antlerless deer hunting regulations designed to increase hunter opportunity to harvest female deer, adjust deer populations to desired levels and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
- Established deer carcass transport restrictions designed to lower the risk of moving the disease to other locations.
- Established regulations designed to prohibit the feeding and baiting of deer within the affected area and reduce the risk of spreading the disease from deer to deer.
“Despite our agency’s best efforts, we continue to struggle with CWD in Hampshire County,” says Jezioro. “I am particularly concerned that some individuals are not complying with regulations prohibiting the feeding and baiting of deer within the Hampshire County CWD Containment Area.”
The WVDNR intends to renew its outreach efforts with the public on the critical need for compliance with this regulation. In addition, appropriate enforcement actions will be taken if these problems are not resolved.
“As we strive to meet this wildlife disease challenge and implement appropriate management strategies, the continued support and involvement of landowners and hunters will be essential,” says Jezioro. “The WVDNR remains committed to keeping the public informed and involved in these wildlife disease management actions as we go forward.”
Source: WHSV
TEXAS NEWS: Town Advised to Elimiate 400 Deer
HOLLY LAKE RANCH, TX (KLTV) - Residents of an East Texas community are torn, after being told the way to fix their deer problem is to kill 400 of the furry critters.
The over population problem has gardeners in the community upset, but animals lovers say that they enjoy seeing the deer.
Texas Parks and Wildlife was called in to advise the community on a solution, and suggested 400 deer needed to be put down in order to maintain a balance in the deer population.
Residents also received a letter saying those who continue to feed the deer will be fined $150.
A meeting will take place at 2pm today to discuss the issues and make a decision.
Source: KLTV
The over population problem has gardeners in the community upset, but animals lovers say that they enjoy seeing the deer.
Texas Parks and Wildlife was called in to advise the community on a solution, and suggested 400 deer needed to be put down in order to maintain a balance in the deer population.
Residents also received a letter saying those who continue to feed the deer will be fined $150.
A meeting will take place at 2pm today to discuss the issues and make a decision.
Source: KLTV
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
NORTH CAROLINA NEWS: Chapel Hill City Council Considers Deer Hunt
The Chapel Hill town council agreed Monday night to take applications for an urban deer hunt as it studies the issue further.
Residents have submitted a petition asking the town to hire professional deer bow hunters to reduce the population of deer. Residents said the deer have become a nuisance.
The council called for a public hearing on the issue and asked for more input from experts and residents.
In the meantime, professional bow hunters can submit applications to hold an urban deer hunt with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. No action will be taken on the applications until after the public hearing.
Source: WRAL
Residents have submitted a petition asking the town to hire professional deer bow hunters to reduce the population of deer. Residents said the deer have become a nuisance.
The council called for a public hearing on the issue and asked for more input from experts and residents.
In the meantime, professional bow hunters can submit applications to hold an urban deer hunt with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. No action will be taken on the applications until after the public hearing.
Source: WRAL
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
US NEWS: A Smart Move by Two Politicians
U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold is backing legislation to help boost venison donations to the hungry.
The Wisconsin Democrat is co-sponsoring a proposal crafted by New York Democrat Charles Schumer. It would let deer hunters deduct the cost of processing game from their taxable income, when the meat is donated to a soup kitchen or food pantry.
Wisconsin Public Radio says processing fees typically range from $60 to $90.
The senators say the proposal could help charities that have been hurt by the flagging economy.
Edie Miller works for a meat processor in Columbia County. She says she's seen firsthand the dip in venison donations.
She says her company processed about 100 deer last year for food-donation programs, down from more than 200 in previous years.
Source: Chicago Tribune
The Wisconsin Democrat is co-sponsoring a proposal crafted by New York Democrat Charles Schumer. It would let deer hunters deduct the cost of processing game from their taxable income, when the meat is donated to a soup kitchen or food pantry.
Wisconsin Public Radio says processing fees typically range from $60 to $90.
The senators say the proposal could help charities that have been hurt by the flagging economy.
Edie Miller works for a meat processor in Columbia County. She says she's seen firsthand the dip in venison donations.
She says her company processed about 100 deer last year for food-donation programs, down from more than 200 in previous years.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
MANITOBA NEWS: Towns Experience Growth in Deer Population
People in Killarney, Man., are trying to figure out how to deal with a population explosion of roaming deer.
The hungry animals are stripping cedar trees and creating a hazard on the streets, where at least six drivers have collided with them, according to Mayor Rick Pauls.
"We definitely have [had] numerous vehicle accidents around here and it's not just on the highway anymore — you can be driving down the street and hitting a deer," Pauls said.
And now coyotes, which prey on deer, have started to wander into town of about 2,300 people, Pauls said.
Killarney is about 220 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg, near the Manitoba border with North Dakota.
Pauls said his Killarney-Turtle council is working with Manitoba Conservation on a plan to deal with the animals. Conservation officers will soon head out in a helicopter to get a better handle on what they're up against.
"They're going to count exactly how many deer are located within the town limits," he said. "Then we'll be able to come up with a number of what we want to take them down to. We're either going to trap and relocate them or trap and destroy them."
But some disgruntled residents have already taken matters into their own hands by poisoning or shooting the deer or putting up illegal electric fences, he said.
Pauls isn't sure how the town will pay for the animal control measures, which he estimates could cost close to $1,000 a deer.
He also isn't sure why the deer have come to Killarney but suspects a decline in the number of hunters might have something to do with it.
Pinawa has problem, too
Manitoba deer have also taken up residence in another Manitoba town in recent years. The animals have become so tame around people in Pinawa, about 110 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, that they pester school kids for their lunches.
Deer in Pinawa, Man., have become tame enough to eat from people's hands. (CBC)They can be seen in backyards, on the sidewalks, in schoolyards and sometimes even in the kitchens of local homes.
Jacquelyn Landry told CBC News earlier this year that she came home one day to find her children feeding one in the family kitchen.
The school in Pinawa had to implement new rules after the deer went after kids' lunches. Students must now eat in the school before going out to play.
Anyone caught feeding deer is subject to a $500 fine, although no tickets have been handed out since the town adopted the bylaw in 2002, according to Deputy Mayor Lynn Patterson. Several warnings have been issued instead.
Source: CBC
The hungry animals are stripping cedar trees and creating a hazard on the streets, where at least six drivers have collided with them, according to Mayor Rick Pauls.
"We definitely have [had] numerous vehicle accidents around here and it's not just on the highway anymore — you can be driving down the street and hitting a deer," Pauls said.
And now coyotes, which prey on deer, have started to wander into town of about 2,300 people, Pauls said.
Killarney is about 220 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg, near the Manitoba border with North Dakota.
Pauls said his Killarney-Turtle council is working with Manitoba Conservation on a plan to deal with the animals. Conservation officers will soon head out in a helicopter to get a better handle on what they're up against.
"They're going to count exactly how many deer are located within the town limits," he said. "Then we'll be able to come up with a number of what we want to take them down to. We're either going to trap and relocate them or trap and destroy them."
But some disgruntled residents have already taken matters into their own hands by poisoning or shooting the deer or putting up illegal electric fences, he said.
Pauls isn't sure how the town will pay for the animal control measures, which he estimates could cost close to $1,000 a deer.
He also isn't sure why the deer have come to Killarney but suspects a decline in the number of hunters might have something to do with it.
Pinawa has problem, too
Manitoba deer have also taken up residence in another Manitoba town in recent years. The animals have become so tame around people in Pinawa, about 110 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, that they pester school kids for their lunches.
Deer in Pinawa, Man., have become tame enough to eat from people's hands. (CBC)They can be seen in backyards, on the sidewalks, in schoolyards and sometimes even in the kitchens of local homes.
Jacquelyn Landry told CBC News earlier this year that she came home one day to find her children feeding one in the family kitchen.
The school in Pinawa had to implement new rules after the deer went after kids' lunches. Students must now eat in the school before going out to play.
Anyone caught feeding deer is subject to a $500 fine, although no tickets have been handed out since the town adopted the bylaw in 2002, according to Deputy Mayor Lynn Patterson. Several warnings have been issued instead.
Source: CBC
Monday, December 28, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Valley Forge NP Hunt Postponed
The National Park Service has called off its plan to deploy silencer-equipped sharpshooters this winter to cull the nearly 1,300 deer overtaking Valley Forge.
With a lawsuit pending and facing the logistics of deploying contract shooters before spring, the government decided to put off a long-planned hunt at Valley Forge National Historical Park until at least next November, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Bernstein told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Where George Washington's tattered troops once scrambled for food and shelter, the exploding white-tailed deer population now enjoys a generous habitat of field and forest. But they eat up so many plants, officials say, they are throwing the park's environmental balance out of whack. They are also blamed for scores of vehicle accidents within the park each year and for wreaking havoc on suburban gardens nearby.
"They cause so much damage to the environment, so many road accidents. And the roadkill — so many deer end up lying on the road. No one wants that, whether you want the deer there or not," said Julia Urwin, 52, of Tredyffrin, who supports the hunt.
After years of heated debate and a congressional mandate to deal with the burgeoning deer colony, the park service decided this fall to cull the herd by 80 percent over four years through nighttime hunts.
Animal-rights activists believe the park should be maintained by natural means, and filed suit to try to block the kill in the 3,500-acre oasis west of Philadelphia.
Others doubt the plan is safe, given that homes, hotels and malls now surround the land where Washington's Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-1778.
"The culling never works ... and I think it teaches our kids the wrong thing," said Priscilla Cohn of Villanova, a retired philosophy professor who runs a small animal-rights foundation. She argues that deer herds invariably bounce back after a hunt, as better-fed survivors produce more offspring and other deer move in to fill the vacuum.
"I'm a believer in science," she said. "Shooting is from the last couple of centuries."
Cohn's foundation has offered about $120,000 for deer contraception and fencing to protect vegetation, but the offer is only good if no deer are slain. Park officials, she said, have ignored her.
The park management plan endorses the use of contraceptives for herd maintenance, but said their effectiveness should be further studied. Meanwhile, they say the deer problem is too severe to wait.
"Our plan is linked strongly to our mission at Valley Forge ... to preserve the historic resources, the natural resources and certainly the landscape," said park Superintendent Michael Caldwell. "It's science-based, it's safe, and there's been an extensive amount of public involvement."
Deer problems plague many parks throughout the East, and similar debates about how to shrink deer herds have played out for years. In the 1990s, Gettysburg National Military Park's deer population was reduced by a hunt from 4,000 to just over 200.
In Valley Forge, the post-hunt target population is 175.
"This park couldn't be better habitat for white-tailed deer. It is the perfect mix of field and forest," said Kristina Heister, the park's natural resource manager. "If you have 1,300 deer on the landscape, I bet it's hard for a squirrel to even find an acorn on the forest floor."
The habitat loss has caused birds, butterflies and other dependent wildlife to disappear, officials say.
The National Park Service cites restoration of that ecological balance as its primary reason for the cull, with a secondary goal of reducing the risk of chronic wasting disease, a mad-cow-like brain disease. The disease has been found in adjacent states, but not in Pennsylvania, and foes of the hunt question whether a smaller herd size reduces risk.
Meanwhile, about 90 deer-vehicle collisions occur each year on the busy state road and several commuter shortcuts that dissect the park, Heister said. No one was seriously hurt last year, she said.
Logistics may be as much at play as the lawsuit in this week's agreement to delay the hunt until next winter.
Park officials had set a Jan. 5 deadline for contractors to bid on the hunting operation, and said they needed about two months after that to initiate it. That left little time for the culling operation during the key winter months.
A lawyer for the groups involved in the suit, Connecticut-based Friends of Animals and Pennsylvania-based Compassion for Animals, Respect for the Environment, said Wednesday they are thrilled by the one-year reprieve.
"The fact that they're not managing the parks in a natural way is really what's driving our concern," said Michael R. Harris, a University of Denver environmental law professor who represents them. "They're supposed to be managed in a wild state."
Harris endorses the use of coyotes — already present in the region — to thin the deer population. If that means suburbanites must learn to live with predators in their midst, so be it, he said.
That approach startles some who use the park's 26 miles of hiking and biking paths, including economist Philip Senechal of Philadelphia.
"I don't like the idea of introducing predators. I think that's risky," Senechal said.
Source: AP
With a lawsuit pending and facing the logistics of deploying contract shooters before spring, the government decided to put off a long-planned hunt at Valley Forge National Historical Park until at least next November, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Bernstein told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Where George Washington's tattered troops once scrambled for food and shelter, the exploding white-tailed deer population now enjoys a generous habitat of field and forest. But they eat up so many plants, officials say, they are throwing the park's environmental balance out of whack. They are also blamed for scores of vehicle accidents within the park each year and for wreaking havoc on suburban gardens nearby.
"They cause so much damage to the environment, so many road accidents. And the roadkill — so many deer end up lying on the road. No one wants that, whether you want the deer there or not," said Julia Urwin, 52, of Tredyffrin, who supports the hunt.
After years of heated debate and a congressional mandate to deal with the burgeoning deer colony, the park service decided this fall to cull the herd by 80 percent over four years through nighttime hunts.
Animal-rights activists believe the park should be maintained by natural means, and filed suit to try to block the kill in the 3,500-acre oasis west of Philadelphia.
Others doubt the plan is safe, given that homes, hotels and malls now surround the land where Washington's Continental Army spent the winter of 1777-1778.
"The culling never works ... and I think it teaches our kids the wrong thing," said Priscilla Cohn of Villanova, a retired philosophy professor who runs a small animal-rights foundation. She argues that deer herds invariably bounce back after a hunt, as better-fed survivors produce more offspring and other deer move in to fill the vacuum.
"I'm a believer in science," she said. "Shooting is from the last couple of centuries."
Cohn's foundation has offered about $120,000 for deer contraception and fencing to protect vegetation, but the offer is only good if no deer are slain. Park officials, she said, have ignored her.
The park management plan endorses the use of contraceptives for herd maintenance, but said their effectiveness should be further studied. Meanwhile, they say the deer problem is too severe to wait.
"Our plan is linked strongly to our mission at Valley Forge ... to preserve the historic resources, the natural resources and certainly the landscape," said park Superintendent Michael Caldwell. "It's science-based, it's safe, and there's been an extensive amount of public involvement."
Deer problems plague many parks throughout the East, and similar debates about how to shrink deer herds have played out for years. In the 1990s, Gettysburg National Military Park's deer population was reduced by a hunt from 4,000 to just over 200.
In Valley Forge, the post-hunt target population is 175.
"This park couldn't be better habitat for white-tailed deer. It is the perfect mix of field and forest," said Kristina Heister, the park's natural resource manager. "If you have 1,300 deer on the landscape, I bet it's hard for a squirrel to even find an acorn on the forest floor."
The habitat loss has caused birds, butterflies and other dependent wildlife to disappear, officials say.
The National Park Service cites restoration of that ecological balance as its primary reason for the cull, with a secondary goal of reducing the risk of chronic wasting disease, a mad-cow-like brain disease. The disease has been found in adjacent states, but not in Pennsylvania, and foes of the hunt question whether a smaller herd size reduces risk.
Meanwhile, about 90 deer-vehicle collisions occur each year on the busy state road and several commuter shortcuts that dissect the park, Heister said. No one was seriously hurt last year, she said.
Logistics may be as much at play as the lawsuit in this week's agreement to delay the hunt until next winter.
Park officials had set a Jan. 5 deadline for contractors to bid on the hunting operation, and said they needed about two months after that to initiate it. That left little time for the culling operation during the key winter months.
A lawyer for the groups involved in the suit, Connecticut-based Friends of Animals and Pennsylvania-based Compassion for Animals, Respect for the Environment, said Wednesday they are thrilled by the one-year reprieve.
"The fact that they're not managing the parks in a natural way is really what's driving our concern," said Michael R. Harris, a University of Denver environmental law professor who represents them. "They're supposed to be managed in a wild state."
Harris endorses the use of coyotes — already present in the region — to thin the deer population. If that means suburbanites must learn to live with predators in their midst, so be it, he said.
That approach startles some who use the park's 26 miles of hiking and biking paths, including economist Philip Senechal of Philadelphia.
"I don't like the idea of introducing predators. I think that's risky," Senechal said.
Source: AP
NEW YORK NEWS: College to Cull Deer
Vassar College will use sharpshooters next month to reduce the deer herd near its main Town of Poughkeepsie campus — a move that has upset some neighbors who claim they were not notified about the cull until it was already set to occur.
College officials said the herd must be reduced to protect the 530-acre Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve off Hooker Avenue. Officials point out deer are harming the preserve, decimating the forest understory and making it difficult for new trees to grow. Deer also cause safety problems through car-deer collisions and spread tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, they say.
The farm and preserve, which is open to the public, is used for field-based education and research. Officials said the college received a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to cull the herd.
The sharpshooters will start their work after New Year's Day. Officials hope the herd will be reduced to about 15 deer from the approximately 100 animals living on the preserve.
College officials said there are simply too many deer on the preserve — which is bad for the preserve and for deer.
"We really have to do something to manage this problem," said Keri VanCamp, who manages the Vassar farm and preserve.
Increasing deer populations in urban and suburban areas have become problematic throughout New York as the animals become more common in places where they traditionally were rarely seen. Finding humane ways to deal with the overpopulation problem is an issue more and more property owners must address.
Full story at: Poughkeepsie Journal
College officials said the herd must be reduced to protect the 530-acre Vassar Farm and Ecological Preserve off Hooker Avenue. Officials point out deer are harming the preserve, decimating the forest understory and making it difficult for new trees to grow. Deer also cause safety problems through car-deer collisions and spread tick-borne diseases such as Lyme disease, they say.
The farm and preserve, which is open to the public, is used for field-based education and research. Officials said the college received a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to cull the herd.
The sharpshooters will start their work after New Year's Day. Officials hope the herd will be reduced to about 15 deer from the approximately 100 animals living on the preserve.
College officials said there are simply too many deer on the preserve — which is bad for the preserve and for deer.
"We really have to do something to manage this problem," said Keri VanCamp, who manages the Vassar farm and preserve.
Increasing deer populations in urban and suburban areas have become problematic throughout New York as the animals become more common in places where they traditionally were rarely seen. Finding humane ways to deal with the overpopulation problem is an issue more and more property owners must address.
Full story at: Poughkeepsie Journal
Thursday, December 17, 2009
WISCONSIN OPINION: I'm Sorry the Natural World Does Not Yield to Your Wishes
Another great column from Pat Durkin
Judging by their press releases on November's deer season, be prepared to pat the hands of state Sen. Russ Decker, D-Weston, and Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, if you ever sit by them on an airplane bounced by turbulence.
If gentle reassurance doesn't stop their shrieking, suggest the flight attendant slap them.
Decker's hysterical demand on Dec. 3 to fire the state's top deer managers and Gundy's panicky call Dec. 4 to cancel December's four-day antlerless gun season show these lawmakers can't control their emotions.
"It is absolutely imperative the (Natural Resources) Board takes swift action to protect Wisconsin's deer heard (sic) from further harm that may take generations to recover from," Gundy declared.
The Board ignored him, and the low-impact season was held as scheduled. And what about Gundy's nonsense that deer might need "generations" to recover? Even if he meant deer generations, not human generations, he needs schooling in deer biology.
Researchers at Michigan's George Reserve twice showed deer herds capable of 50 percent annual growth. Starting with six whitetails in 1928, the reserve's herd boomed to 222 in seven years. And in 1975, after reducing the herd to 10 deer, most of which were fawns, researchers reported the herd at 212 after six breeding seasons.
But Gundy's outburst was nothing compared to that of Decker, majority leader of our Senate. Does that "D" in "D-Weston" after Decker's name stand for Democrat or Demagogue?
Granted, the DNR should stick to its harvest data and let others suggest wet, warm conditions and uncut corn helped lower the kill. By discussing factors beyond its control, the DNR sounds like it's making excuses.
Likewise, Decker shouldn't use his personal experience in Lincoln County to make statewide generalizations about hunting conditions.
"The swamps were pretty dry where our crew was hunting," he claimed. "We don't let a little water stop us from going after deer."
Bravo, sir! Give yourself another attaboy!
For the record, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported 41 percent of the state's corn remained uncut because of wet soils as of Nov. 23 (the Monday of deer season). The five-year average is 19 percent uncut. That's a lot of extra hiding room.
The NASS also reported average temperatures were 7 to 11 degrees above normal during deer season, with average daily highs of 46 to 48 degrees. Research shows deer activity basically ceases in late autumn when temperatures hit 45 degrees.
But Decker went beyond weather with his pandering. He pleased barbershop biologists with this gem:
"The DNR has mismanaged the deer herd and a new team needs to be brought in that can do the job."
Unfortunately for Sen. Decker, the candidate pool appears thin. The Minnesota DNR reported a statewide kill of about 200,000 deer, the state's lowest figure in about 10 years. The agency also reported standing corn in 80 percent of Minnesota's fields.
Meanwhile, the Michigan DNR reported the deer kill fell 20 to 30 percent in the Upper Peninsula, 15 to 25 percent in the northern Lower Peninsula, and 5 to 10 percent in southern Michigan. Agency biologists said the main reasons for the slump were "unseasonably hot weather" during hunting season and harsh winter a year ago.
In addition, Michigan's corn harvest was 35 percent by Nov. 16, the second day of its 16-day season. "In an average year, it's 80 percent, " said Brent Rudolph, Michigan DNR deer program leader. "It's likely some deer never left the standing corn."
How about Illinois? Even though Illinois lacks northern forests and severe winters, its gun-hunters failed to kill 100,000 deer for the first time since 1999. The reasons cited? Warm weather and a 33 percent harvest of its corn crop.
Despite these declines in herd sizes and harvest figures across the Great Lakes, the bigger question remains: Why is anyone surprised?
The Wisconsin DNR issued a reminder before the season — Nov. 10, to be exact — that this year's deer kill would be lower than in 2008.
In addition, the mission of wildlife agencies isn't to match previous kills or produce records annually. Their task is to manage the herd to publicly approved biological and sociological goals. For much of the past three decades, that meant reducing herds.
That the Wisconsin DNR might finally be succeeding is hardly a firing offense. The same can't be said of Sen. Decker's childish tantrum.
Source: Green Bay Gazette
Judging by their press releases on November's deer season, be prepared to pat the hands of state Sen. Russ Decker, D-Weston, and Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, if you ever sit by them on an airplane bounced by turbulence.
If gentle reassurance doesn't stop their shrieking, suggest the flight attendant slap them.
Decker's hysterical demand on Dec. 3 to fire the state's top deer managers and Gundy's panicky call Dec. 4 to cancel December's four-day antlerless gun season show these lawmakers can't control their emotions.
"It is absolutely imperative the (Natural Resources) Board takes swift action to protect Wisconsin's deer heard (sic) from further harm that may take generations to recover from," Gundy declared.
The Board ignored him, and the low-impact season was held as scheduled. And what about Gundy's nonsense that deer might need "generations" to recover? Even if he meant deer generations, not human generations, he needs schooling in deer biology.
Researchers at Michigan's George Reserve twice showed deer herds capable of 50 percent annual growth. Starting with six whitetails in 1928, the reserve's herd boomed to 222 in seven years. And in 1975, after reducing the herd to 10 deer, most of which were fawns, researchers reported the herd at 212 after six breeding seasons.
But Gundy's outburst was nothing compared to that of Decker, majority leader of our Senate. Does that "D" in "D-Weston" after Decker's name stand for Democrat or Demagogue?
Granted, the DNR should stick to its harvest data and let others suggest wet, warm conditions and uncut corn helped lower the kill. By discussing factors beyond its control, the DNR sounds like it's making excuses.
Likewise, Decker shouldn't use his personal experience in Lincoln County to make statewide generalizations about hunting conditions.
"The swamps were pretty dry where our crew was hunting," he claimed. "We don't let a little water stop us from going after deer."
Bravo, sir! Give yourself another attaboy!
For the record, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported 41 percent of the state's corn remained uncut because of wet soils as of Nov. 23 (the Monday of deer season). The five-year average is 19 percent uncut. That's a lot of extra hiding room.
The NASS also reported average temperatures were 7 to 11 degrees above normal during deer season, with average daily highs of 46 to 48 degrees. Research shows deer activity basically ceases in late autumn when temperatures hit 45 degrees.
But Decker went beyond weather with his pandering. He pleased barbershop biologists with this gem:
"The DNR has mismanaged the deer herd and a new team needs to be brought in that can do the job."
Unfortunately for Sen. Decker, the candidate pool appears thin. The Minnesota DNR reported a statewide kill of about 200,000 deer, the state's lowest figure in about 10 years. The agency also reported standing corn in 80 percent of Minnesota's fields.
Meanwhile, the Michigan DNR reported the deer kill fell 20 to 30 percent in the Upper Peninsula, 15 to 25 percent in the northern Lower Peninsula, and 5 to 10 percent in southern Michigan. Agency biologists said the main reasons for the slump were "unseasonably hot weather" during hunting season and harsh winter a year ago.
In addition, Michigan's corn harvest was 35 percent by Nov. 16, the second day of its 16-day season. "In an average year, it's 80 percent, " said Brent Rudolph, Michigan DNR deer program leader. "It's likely some deer never left the standing corn."
How about Illinois? Even though Illinois lacks northern forests and severe winters, its gun-hunters failed to kill 100,000 deer for the first time since 1999. The reasons cited? Warm weather and a 33 percent harvest of its corn crop.
Despite these declines in herd sizes and harvest figures across the Great Lakes, the bigger question remains: Why is anyone surprised?
The Wisconsin DNR issued a reminder before the season — Nov. 10, to be exact — that this year's deer kill would be lower than in 2008.
In addition, the mission of wildlife agencies isn't to match previous kills or produce records annually. Their task is to manage the herd to publicly approved biological and sociological goals. For much of the past three decades, that meant reducing herds.
That the Wisconsin DNR might finally be succeeding is hardly a firing offense. The same can't be said of Sen. Decker's childish tantrum.
Source: Green Bay Gazette
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
INDIANA NEWS: State Park Hunting Totals
Deer hunts last month in 17 state parks resulted in 1,334 deer being harvested, a decrease of 134 deer from last year.
The controlled hunts occurred Nov. 16 and 17 and Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Chain O'Lakes, Charlestown, Harmonie, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles, Whitewater Memorial, Fort Harrison and Clifty Falls.
Hunters killed 42 deer in Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, 28 in Shakamak State Park near Jasonville and 60 in Shades State Park near Waveland.
Officials first opened state parks to deer hunters in 1993, harvesting 392 deer. The hunts were halted in 1994 and resumed in 1995. Turkey Run State Park has been involved in the hunts since 1999, but now deer numbers may be at a point where the park is taken off as a hunting site for a year, Mycroft said.
“Turkey Run in 2009 had 11 deer [harvested] per square mile. Last year it was 20 deer per square mile. Turkey Run is probably in a position where the deer are having much less impact [on vegetation] than they did five years ago. That park started at 39 deer per square mile [in 1999],” Mycroft said.
“We will take a closer look to make sure of this so we do not lose any ground. Turkey Run is somewhat odd as it does not have a smooth trend [in reduction of deer],” Mycroft said, adding that corn still standing in nearby property could be influencing this year’s deer numbers at that park.
The breakdown by parks shows 93 deer killed at Chain O’Lakes, 133 at Charlestown, 26 at Clifty Falls, 43 at Fort Harrison, 111 at Harmonie, 43 at Lincoln, 29 at Ouabache, 40 at Pokagon, 186 at Potato Creek, 80 at Prophetstown, 60 at Shades, 28 at Shakamak, 16 at Spring Mill, 119 at Tippecanoe, 42 at Turkey Run, 202 at Versailles and 83 at Whitewater.
Source: Terre Haute News
The controlled hunts occurred Nov. 16 and 17 and Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Chain O'Lakes, Charlestown, Harmonie, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles, Whitewater Memorial, Fort Harrison and Clifty Falls.
Hunters killed 42 deer in Turkey Run State Park near Marshall, 28 in Shakamak State Park near Jasonville and 60 in Shades State Park near Waveland.
Officials first opened state parks to deer hunters in 1993, harvesting 392 deer. The hunts were halted in 1994 and resumed in 1995. Turkey Run State Park has been involved in the hunts since 1999, but now deer numbers may be at a point where the park is taken off as a hunting site for a year, Mycroft said.
“Turkey Run in 2009 had 11 deer [harvested] per square mile. Last year it was 20 deer per square mile. Turkey Run is probably in a position where the deer are having much less impact [on vegetation] than they did five years ago. That park started at 39 deer per square mile [in 1999],” Mycroft said.
“We will take a closer look to make sure of this so we do not lose any ground. Turkey Run is somewhat odd as it does not have a smooth trend [in reduction of deer],” Mycroft said, adding that corn still standing in nearby property could be influencing this year’s deer numbers at that park.
The breakdown by parks shows 93 deer killed at Chain O’Lakes, 133 at Charlestown, 26 at Clifty Falls, 43 at Fort Harrison, 111 at Harmonie, 43 at Lincoln, 29 at Ouabache, 40 at Pokagon, 186 at Potato Creek, 80 at Prophetstown, 60 at Shades, 28 at Shakamak, 16 at Spring Mill, 119 at Tippecanoe, 42 at Turkey Run, 202 at Versailles and 83 at Whitewater.
Source: Terre Haute News
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
MISSOURI NEWS: Municipality Opts for Controlled Archery Hunts to Combat Deer
In an effort to reduce the booming deer population, the Springfield City Council approved a measure for controlled deer hunts on public property next fall. The managed deer hunts would be done with bows and arrows, not firearms. The proposal passed at the council's meeting on Monday night.
Skilled archers would be eligible for the hunts around the state Veterans Cemetery near Lake Springfield, and a wooded area off the western banks of the James River northwest of the U.S. 60/65 interchange.
Source: KY3
Skilled archers would be eligible for the hunts around the state Veterans Cemetery near Lake Springfield, and a wooded area off the western banks of the James River northwest of the U.S. 60/65 interchange.
Source: KY3
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Lower Merion Hunt Scheduled, Friends of Animals Dismayed
As a planned federal deer shoot was scheduled to begin last night in Lower Merion Township, animal-rights activists expressed their opposition and compared it to the deer cull they have sued to stop in Valley Forge.
"The ethical issues are basically the same," said Lee Hall of Devon, legal director of the Friends of Animals organization.
Although the group sued to stop the plan to shoot more than 1,500 deer in Valley Forge National Historical Park, similar action has not been taken over the culling of 576 deer planned in the next several years in Lower Merion.
A two-person team, one shooter and one spotter, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be shooting deer in baited fields on township and private land all week from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. A USDA spokeswoman said the team will return for another weeklong cull in December, with the aim of reducing Lower Merion's deer population by 100 this year.
On a good night, the team could harvest up to 20 deer, whose meat will be donated to food banks, said Carol Bannerman, spokeswoman for the USDA. She would not specify where the cull would happen within the township. She said safety and efficiency concerns would prevent allowing private citizens to observe the hunt, which Lower Merion police are supervising.
"It can be a rather quiet operation," Bannerman said.
No township roads are being closed during the nighttime cull, in which the sharpshooter uses a silenced rifle and night-vision accessories.
Lower Merion and federal officials said the township's population is 44 to 58 deer per square mile, far above recommendations that suburbs have 10 deer, or fewer, per square mile. The cull is intended in part to reduce car-deer collisions in the township and the risk of Lyme disease, which is carried by deer ticks.
Hall said that safe, slower driving would be a better means to reduce auto accidents with deer, and that deer ticks could shift to family dogs and cats if the deer population is suddenly reduced. Deer culls, she added, are a brutal form of population control and often kill mainly the strongest animals.
"We are affecting evolution," she said.
Hall said legal action might be considered over the Lower Merion shoot, though the township is not subject to the national-parks laws under which Valley Forge was sued. No protest is planned against this round of culling, Hall said, though her group has a plan to distribute literature and post signs at the time of the planned December shoot.
Another area animal-rights activist and plaintiff from the Valley Forge lawsuit said she was unlikely to take similar action over the Lower Merion kill.
Though "definitely opposed" to all deer culls, Allison Memmo Geiger - president of Compassion for Animals, Respect the Environment - said her West Chester-based group, which sued over the Valley Forge shoot, has not been as active against the Lower Merion one.
"Valley Forge is a national park, so we were able to join with people on a national level for support," Geiger said. "I don't live in Lower Merion, so I have very little say there."
Source: Philly.com
"The ethical issues are basically the same," said Lee Hall of Devon, legal director of the Friends of Animals organization.
Although the group sued to stop the plan to shoot more than 1,500 deer in Valley Forge National Historical Park, similar action has not been taken over the culling of 576 deer planned in the next several years in Lower Merion.
A two-person team, one shooter and one spotter, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be shooting deer in baited fields on township and private land all week from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. A USDA spokeswoman said the team will return for another weeklong cull in December, with the aim of reducing Lower Merion's deer population by 100 this year.
On a good night, the team could harvest up to 20 deer, whose meat will be donated to food banks, said Carol Bannerman, spokeswoman for the USDA. She would not specify where the cull would happen within the township. She said safety and efficiency concerns would prevent allowing private citizens to observe the hunt, which Lower Merion police are supervising.
"It can be a rather quiet operation," Bannerman said.
No township roads are being closed during the nighttime cull, in which the sharpshooter uses a silenced rifle and night-vision accessories.
Lower Merion and federal officials said the township's population is 44 to 58 deer per square mile, far above recommendations that suburbs have 10 deer, or fewer, per square mile. The cull is intended in part to reduce car-deer collisions in the township and the risk of Lyme disease, which is carried by deer ticks.
Hall said that safe, slower driving would be a better means to reduce auto accidents with deer, and that deer ticks could shift to family dogs and cats if the deer population is suddenly reduced. Deer culls, she added, are a brutal form of population control and often kill mainly the strongest animals.
"We are affecting evolution," she said.
Hall said legal action might be considered over the Lower Merion shoot, though the township is not subject to the national-parks laws under which Valley Forge was sued. No protest is planned against this round of culling, Hall said, though her group has a plan to distribute literature and post signs at the time of the planned December shoot.
Another area animal-rights activist and plaintiff from the Valley Forge lawsuit said she was unlikely to take similar action over the Lower Merion kill.
Though "definitely opposed" to all deer culls, Allison Memmo Geiger - president of Compassion for Animals, Respect the Environment - said her West Chester-based group, which sued over the Valley Forge shoot, has not been as active against the Lower Merion one.
"Valley Forge is a national park, so we were able to join with people on a national level for support," Geiger said. "I don't live in Lower Merion, so I have very little say there."
Source: Philly.com
Friday, November 13, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Valley Forge NP Sued Over Deer Management
Valley Forge is 5.5 square miles. There are an estimated 232 per square mile, or about 10 times more than the park can support. I would love to see the parasite loads on these deer.
Two animal-rights groups filed suit in federal court yesterday to stop officials at Valley Forge National Historical Park from going ahead with a plan to shoot more than 1,500 deer.
Deploying sharpshooters in winter, the season when George Washington's troops suffered at Valley Forge, "is not only an appalling twist on the park's history," the suit says, but "another sign that the National Park Service has abandoned its century-old mission to strive for parks in which conservation of nature is paramount."
The filing by Friends of Animals, a national advocacy group, and Compassion for Animals, Respect the Environment (CARE), a West Chester organization, was lodged against park Superintendent Michael Caldwell, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the National Park Service as an agency, and other park service officials.
Caldwell, reached yesterday evening, said he had not seen the lawsuit but knows that the park is acting properly.
"I'm confident in the proficiency of the plan, and we believe in its scientific validity, and we've had a transparent process," he said. "I believe in the plan and where it's headed."
Anthony Conte, an attorney for the park service, said he had not seen the lawsuit. Frank Quimby, a spokesman for the Department of the Interior, said the agency does not comment on litigation.
Park officials intend to reduce the herd by 86 percent - from an estimated 1,277 deer to between 165 and 185 - during the next four years. Federal employees or contractors are to fire silencer-equipped rifles, mostly at night, at deer lured to areas baited with apples and grain. The shooting is to take place between November and March, but administrators have refused to provide specific dates.
Valley Forge officials say the action is necessary to reduce a herd that has grown big and destructive, gobbling so many plants and saplings that the forest can't regenerate.
Administrators plan to shoot 500 deer the first year, 500 the second, and between 250 and 300 in years three and four.
After four years, officials say, they'll maintain a smaller herd through contraceptives and additional shoots. They estimate that shooting deer will cost between $2.0 million and $2.9 million during the next 15 years.
The plan has provoked enormous controversy among people who live near Valley Forge, site of the Continental Army's 1777-78 winter encampment, with residents both opposed and in favor.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court for the Eastern District, said that the park study that blamed deer for ruined vegetation was flawed, and that the law requires the park to protect and conserve natural resources - including deer.
"We want the park to just let them be," said Allison Memmo Geiger, president of CARE.
Unlike the paved roads, concrete buildings, and rebuilt log cabins in the park, the suit says, deer were present before, during and after Washington's encampment, making them part of the cultural and historical resources.
The suit claims that park service officials failed to follow federal laws and regulations in developing their plan to control deer. Among those failures, the suit said, is that the park gave short shrift to the idea of introducing coyotes as natural predators.
Studies show that coyotes can safely and effectively reduce urban deer populations, and improve the health of plants, said Michael Harris, who prepared the suit as director of the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denver. Coyotes kill the sick and weak, but more than that, they harass the herd, making deer wary of grazing and limiting their ability to freely reproduce.
The suit said the park also failed to consider how gunfire could endanger park visitors, local residents, and drivers on surrounding highways.
"The government's desire to deploy a rifle team to war on the deer," said Lee Hall, legal director for Friends of Animals, "lacks biological, ecological, and ethical sense."
Source: Philly.com
Two animal-rights groups filed suit in federal court yesterday to stop officials at Valley Forge National Historical Park from going ahead with a plan to shoot more than 1,500 deer.
Deploying sharpshooters in winter, the season when George Washington's troops suffered at Valley Forge, "is not only an appalling twist on the park's history," the suit says, but "another sign that the National Park Service has abandoned its century-old mission to strive for parks in which conservation of nature is paramount."
The filing by Friends of Animals, a national advocacy group, and Compassion for Animals, Respect the Environment (CARE), a West Chester organization, was lodged against park Superintendent Michael Caldwell, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the National Park Service as an agency, and other park service officials.
Caldwell, reached yesterday evening, said he had not seen the lawsuit but knows that the park is acting properly.
"I'm confident in the proficiency of the plan, and we believe in its scientific validity, and we've had a transparent process," he said. "I believe in the plan and where it's headed."
Anthony Conte, an attorney for the park service, said he had not seen the lawsuit. Frank Quimby, a spokesman for the Department of the Interior, said the agency does not comment on litigation.
Park officials intend to reduce the herd by 86 percent - from an estimated 1,277 deer to between 165 and 185 - during the next four years. Federal employees or contractors are to fire silencer-equipped rifles, mostly at night, at deer lured to areas baited with apples and grain. The shooting is to take place between November and March, but administrators have refused to provide specific dates.
Valley Forge officials say the action is necessary to reduce a herd that has grown big and destructive, gobbling so many plants and saplings that the forest can't regenerate.
Administrators plan to shoot 500 deer the first year, 500 the second, and between 250 and 300 in years three and four.
After four years, officials say, they'll maintain a smaller herd through contraceptives and additional shoots. They estimate that shooting deer will cost between $2.0 million and $2.9 million during the next 15 years.
The plan has provoked enormous controversy among people who live near Valley Forge, site of the Continental Army's 1777-78 winter encampment, with residents both opposed and in favor.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court for the Eastern District, said that the park study that blamed deer for ruined vegetation was flawed, and that the law requires the park to protect and conserve natural resources - including deer.
"We want the park to just let them be," said Allison Memmo Geiger, president of CARE.
Unlike the paved roads, concrete buildings, and rebuilt log cabins in the park, the suit says, deer were present before, during and after Washington's encampment, making them part of the cultural and historical resources.
The suit claims that park service officials failed to follow federal laws and regulations in developing their plan to control deer. Among those failures, the suit said, is that the park gave short shrift to the idea of introducing coyotes as natural predators.
Studies show that coyotes can safely and effectively reduce urban deer populations, and improve the health of plants, said Michael Harris, who prepared the suit as director of the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Denver. Coyotes kill the sick and weak, but more than that, they harass the herd, making deer wary of grazing and limiting their ability to freely reproduce.
The suit said the park also failed to consider how gunfire could endanger park visitors, local residents, and drivers on surrounding highways.
"The government's desire to deploy a rifle team to war on the deer," said Lee Hall, legal director for Friends of Animals, "lacks biological, ecological, and ethical sense."
Source: Philly.com
Thursday, November 12, 2009
MAYRLAND NEWS: Sligo Creek Park Battles Deer
One day in 2007, after a morning spent at Sligo Creek Park removing invasive plants so native plants could survive, Sally Gagne took a moment to look back on the acre of parkland she had proudly worked to save.
Her pride turned quickly to panic.
"I couldn't believe how little was left," said Gagne, a Silver Spring resident and founder of the Friends of Sligo Creek, a group dedicated to improving the quality of the Sligo Creek watershed, which covers 11.6 square miles from Wheaton to Hyattsville. "There were very few young trees and even fewer native plants."
A new adversary -- a rapidly increasing deer population in Sligo Creek -- had eaten almost all of the native plants and saplings.
The deer problem was bad in 2007, she said, and is worse now. For the first time, members of the Friends group are debating whether to cull the deer population in Sligo Creek before the ecosystem is ruined.
"It will happen slowly, but the woods will be gone," Gagne said. "The whole community of woods, the animals that live there and the birds that fly through."
By the group's count, between 98 and 123 deer live within one square mile along Sligo Creek Parkway between Colesville Road and Arcola Avenue in Silver Spring. Depending on the area, the deer population should be between 15 and 30 deer per square mile for the ecosystem to be unaffected, Montgomery County Parks Department officials said.
A deer-management program is in place at 19 county parks, using some form of sharpshooting or controlled hunting. The program covers more than 15,000 acres and 44 percent of county parkland.
The sharpshooting takes place three to four times at each park between January and April, said Rob Gibbs, the department's natural resources manager. Trained marksmen kill 25 to more than 100 deer a night, Gibbs said.
But sharpshooting is rare downcounty, where the parks are too small, too narrow or too urban for sharpshooting or controlled hunting, Gibbs said. Those areas have attracted deer that have grown wise to some of the long-standing upcounty sharpshooting programs, he said.
The deer population at Sligo Creek has increased almost twofold since 2007, leaving the Friends of Sligo Creek with a difficult predicament: Lobbying for sharpshooting or controlled hunts to manage deer could anger some members who say that sharpshooting would be too dangerous at Sligo Creek or that it is inhumane.
"It could end up being a lose-lose: not controlling deer and losing a lot of members," said Bruce Sidwell, the group's president.
At least part of the watershed is among sites in which the county would like to begin sharpshooting. The Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, units 3, 4 and 5 -- the square mile between Colesville and Arcola -- is among six locations marked for future deer-management programs. The programs would cost about $150,000 and remove an estimated 355 deer initially.
The money would go a long way toward assisting a program that is "stretched as far as we can go," Gibbs told the Montgomery County Council's Public Safety Committee in a work session last Thursday. The deer-management program has two full-time employees covering 15,000 acres and was budgeted $121,000 for fiscal 2009 and $91,000 for fiscal 2010, according to a letter from Parks Department Director Mary Bradford to the council in August.
At Thursday's meeting, Council President Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville) praised the deer-management program's work but was noncommittal about allocating more money.
Even if Friends of Sligo Creek members can come to an agreement on sharpshooting at the park, by the time a program could be implemented, the ecosystem would be damaged beyond repair, Gagne said.
She resigned from running the group's Removal of Invasive Plants program because her efforts were no match for the deer.
"Everybody is affected by it," Gagne said. "I can't imagine letting all these plants disappear."
Source: Washington Post
Her pride turned quickly to panic.
"I couldn't believe how little was left," said Gagne, a Silver Spring resident and founder of the Friends of Sligo Creek, a group dedicated to improving the quality of the Sligo Creek watershed, which covers 11.6 square miles from Wheaton to Hyattsville. "There were very few young trees and even fewer native plants."
A new adversary -- a rapidly increasing deer population in Sligo Creek -- had eaten almost all of the native plants and saplings.
The deer problem was bad in 2007, she said, and is worse now. For the first time, members of the Friends group are debating whether to cull the deer population in Sligo Creek before the ecosystem is ruined.
"It will happen slowly, but the woods will be gone," Gagne said. "The whole community of woods, the animals that live there and the birds that fly through."
By the group's count, between 98 and 123 deer live within one square mile along Sligo Creek Parkway between Colesville Road and Arcola Avenue in Silver Spring. Depending on the area, the deer population should be between 15 and 30 deer per square mile for the ecosystem to be unaffected, Montgomery County Parks Department officials said.
A deer-management program is in place at 19 county parks, using some form of sharpshooting or controlled hunting. The program covers more than 15,000 acres and 44 percent of county parkland.
The sharpshooting takes place three to four times at each park between January and April, said Rob Gibbs, the department's natural resources manager. Trained marksmen kill 25 to more than 100 deer a night, Gibbs said.
But sharpshooting is rare downcounty, where the parks are too small, too narrow or too urban for sharpshooting or controlled hunting, Gibbs said. Those areas have attracted deer that have grown wise to some of the long-standing upcounty sharpshooting programs, he said.
The deer population at Sligo Creek has increased almost twofold since 2007, leaving the Friends of Sligo Creek with a difficult predicament: Lobbying for sharpshooting or controlled hunts to manage deer could anger some members who say that sharpshooting would be too dangerous at Sligo Creek or that it is inhumane.
"It could end up being a lose-lose: not controlling deer and losing a lot of members," said Bruce Sidwell, the group's president.
At least part of the watershed is among sites in which the county would like to begin sharpshooting. The Sligo Creek Stream Valley Park, units 3, 4 and 5 -- the square mile between Colesville and Arcola -- is among six locations marked for future deer-management programs. The programs would cost about $150,000 and remove an estimated 355 deer initially.
The money would go a long way toward assisting a program that is "stretched as far as we can go," Gibbs told the Montgomery County Council's Public Safety Committee in a work session last Thursday. The deer-management program has two full-time employees covering 15,000 acres and was budgeted $121,000 for fiscal 2009 and $91,000 for fiscal 2010, according to a letter from Parks Department Director Mary Bradford to the council in August.
At Thursday's meeting, Council President Phil Andrews (D-Gaithersburg-Rockville) praised the deer-management program's work but was noncommittal about allocating more money.
Even if Friends of Sligo Creek members can come to an agreement on sharpshooting at the park, by the time a program could be implemented, the ecosystem would be damaged beyond repair, Gagne said.
She resigned from running the group's Removal of Invasive Plants program because her efforts were no match for the deer.
"Everybody is affected by it," Gagne said. "I can't imagine letting all these plants disappear."
Source: Washington Post
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Possible Word Record-Setting Deer, DNR to Receive No Credit
Do not let this record buck fool you--the DNR has ruined the herd! I read that on the internet somewhere.
A Wisconsin hunter is holding his breath and waiting to hear whether he will hold a hunting world record.
Michael Gregoire of Sheboygan Falls may break the current record for the largest whitetail rack of a buck he shot with a bow and arrow Thursday on his brother's farm.
The 12-point buck weighed 240 pounds and the rack was unofficially set at 217 5/8 inches.
The current record was set back in 1993 in Canada, with a rack of 213 5/8 inches. The state record is 206 1/8 inches.
There is a 60-day drying period Gregoire must sustain before the official measurements and scores are released.
Source: wkowtv
A Wisconsin hunter is holding his breath and waiting to hear whether he will hold a hunting world record.
Michael Gregoire of Sheboygan Falls may break the current record for the largest whitetail rack of a buck he shot with a bow and arrow Thursday on his brother's farm.
The 12-point buck weighed 240 pounds and the rack was unofficially set at 217 5/8 inches.
The current record was set back in 1993 in Canada, with a rack of 213 5/8 inches. The state record is 206 1/8 inches.
There is a 60-day drying period Gregoire must sustain before the official measurements and scores are released.
Source: wkowtv
KANSAS NEWS: Shawnee Mission Park Cull Nets 313 Deer
Shawnee Mission State Park is 1250 acres, 150 of which is a lake. This harvest is the equivalent of 182 deer per square mile of habitat.
Volunteer sharpshooters killed 313 deer in Shawnee Mission Park last week, park officials reported Monday.
Randy Knight, a spokesman for the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, said the first phase of the park’s deer harvest has ended and the herd will be surveyed later this month to determine whether more deer should be killed.
If a second phase is needed, bow hunters would be brought in beginning Dec. 7.
Source: KansasCity.com
Volunteer sharpshooters killed 313 deer in Shawnee Mission Park last week, park officials reported Monday.
Randy Knight, a spokesman for the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, said the first phase of the park’s deer harvest has ended and the herd will be surveyed later this month to determine whether more deer should be killed.
If a second phase is needed, bow hunters would be brought in beginning Dec. 7.
Source: KansasCity.com
Thursday, October 29, 2009
NEW YORK NEWS: Municipality Supports Deer Management
Cayuga Heights village residents spoke overwhelmingly Wednesday evening in favor of a plan to either sterilize or cull all the deer in the village.
The village trustees held a special public hearing at Cayuga Heights Elementary School as part of their environmental review process on a deer remediation plan that calls for sterilizing 20-60 does, then culling or killing the remainder of the deer. The meeting drew more than 100 people.
Among villagers who spoke, supporters of the plan outnumbered detractors 4 to 1. Supporters recounted stories of car-deer accidents and near-misses, neighbors and friends with Lyme disease, and deer unafraid of dogs or people.
Forty-year village resident Barbara Collier said she was annoyed by people telling her to plant a garden the deer won't like, because she doesn't like it either.
"I'm an animal lover, but I don't need my herd of 11 deer coming through my yard," she said.
Robert Harris, a 35-year resident, said he was jogging early in the morning and saw a small herd of deer. He continued on his path, assuming the deer would move but instead, "the deer hissed at me," he said, to appreciative laughter from some of the audience.
Villager Corinne Frantz said she spoke with her children around the dinner table about the deer problem and told them that it's possible to have strong, conflicting emotions about killing the deer, but that with no natural predators, humans have a responsibility to reduce the deer herd.
"We can cry. We can cry and we can cull," she said.
In two hours of comment from villagers, with each speaker limited to two minutes, roughly half a dozen villagers spoke against the plan to kill the deer.
Full story is available at: Ithaca Journal
The village trustees held a special public hearing at Cayuga Heights Elementary School as part of their environmental review process on a deer remediation plan that calls for sterilizing 20-60 does, then culling or killing the remainder of the deer. The meeting drew more than 100 people.
Among villagers who spoke, supporters of the plan outnumbered detractors 4 to 1. Supporters recounted stories of car-deer accidents and near-misses, neighbors and friends with Lyme disease, and deer unafraid of dogs or people.
Forty-year village resident Barbara Collier said she was annoyed by people telling her to plant a garden the deer won't like, because she doesn't like it either.
"I'm an animal lover, but I don't need my herd of 11 deer coming through my yard," she said.
Robert Harris, a 35-year resident, said he was jogging early in the morning and saw a small herd of deer. He continued on his path, assuming the deer would move but instead, "the deer hissed at me," he said, to appreciative laughter from some of the audience.
Villager Corinne Frantz said she spoke with her children around the dinner table about the deer problem and told them that it's possible to have strong, conflicting emotions about killing the deer, but that with no natural predators, humans have a responsibility to reduce the deer herd.
"We can cry. We can cry and we can cull," she said.
In two hours of comment from villagers, with each speaker limited to two minutes, roughly half a dozen villagers spoke against the plan to kill the deer.
Full story is available at: Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Where the Deer Are
The Wisconsin DNR just published this map, showing where deer exceed population goals and where deer are relatively scarce.
ARKANSAS NEWS: A Look at Historic Deer Harvests
From the low three figures to a steady six figures — that's the story of Arkansas' deer harvest records.
Numerous hunters in the state, sometimes after an unproductive session in the woods, many grumble that "deer hunting just isn't what it was in the old days."
The statistics are not on their side, however.
Many other hunters realistically realize that the state has many, many more deer here in 2009 than it did a couple of generations back. They may also have gripes about not enough deer in this area, few bucks in that county, too small racks on the bucks somewhere else. But the numbers are indisputable — Arkansas deer are plentiful, although not to everyone's satisfaction.
The first year of official checking of deer taken by hunters by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was 1938.
Picture that autumn. The state and the nation were still in the grips of the Great Depression. Many Arkansans sought deer for the most basic of objectives. They needed food on the table. That hunting season, 203 were checked by hunters with AGFC's representatives.
The economy was bleak, but restoration of Arkansas's deer had been under way for more than a decade, most as the efforts may seem today. Deer "farms" were in operation in several locations. Deer were being relocated to places where they were absent and had been scarce for years since the late 19th century and early 20th century.
It is a reasonable assumption that some deer were taken by hunters in the fall of 1938 and were not checked, but were taken straight to kitchen use.
The next year, 1939, there were 540 deer checked as information spread around the state about this new requirement for hunters. In 1940, just 408 deer were checked, and in 1941, 433 deer were checked.
These totals seem tiny compared to recent years of Arkansas hunting.
Last season, the 2008 hunt that stretched into early 2009, 184,991 deer were tallied by Arkansas hunters, a total second only to the peak season of 1999 when 194,687 deer were logged across the state in records of all three hunting methods archery, muzzle-loader and modern gun.
long with the outright poaching and night-hunting, is present today as it was in 1938. Unknown, of course, is the extent of these illegal takings of deer. Does poaching account for a small percentage of the deer taken each year or a large amount?
Deer hunting numbers rose steadily from the early years, especially after the AGFC was reorganized into its present form by Amendment 35 of the Arkansas Constitution which went into effect in 1945. From the 1,687 deer checked that year, the state total was 5,122 just five years later. Fifteen years later, in 1960, the deer harvest total was 15,000.
Deer harvest growth continued through the 1960s and see-sawed a bit in the 1970s as the first steps toward hunting of female deer, does, in some areas began. Some protests came forth after the 1978 season when 43,452 deer were checked. Doe hunting was reduced, and in 1979 the total for the state was 36,074.
About this time, more tailored deer hunting regulations were crafted by the AGFC, allowing for more hunting days and more taking of does in areas where deer had become plentiful. Restricted rules were in effect for areas of lesser deer numbers.
It was 1987 when Arkansas's deer take reached six figures, with 106,392 checked that year by hunters. The total dipped in 1990, again with tightened hunting rules. Then it returned to six figures in 1991. The peak of 1999 climaxed five years of impressive numbers on the deer hunting scene.
Some hunters protested that too many deer were falling to hunters. New strategies in deer management came forth, including quality deer objectives on both private land and some public land.
After a dip in 2003, when tighter deer hunting rules were coupled with unfavorable weather, the statewide deer totals have climbed again to approach the peak of a decade ago.
Source: Baxter Bulletin
Numerous hunters in the state, sometimes after an unproductive session in the woods, many grumble that "deer hunting just isn't what it was in the old days."
The statistics are not on their side, however.
Many other hunters realistically realize that the state has many, many more deer here in 2009 than it did a couple of generations back. They may also have gripes about not enough deer in this area, few bucks in that county, too small racks on the bucks somewhere else. But the numbers are indisputable — Arkansas deer are plentiful, although not to everyone's satisfaction.
The first year of official checking of deer taken by hunters by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission was 1938.
Picture that autumn. The state and the nation were still in the grips of the Great Depression. Many Arkansans sought deer for the most basic of objectives. They needed food on the table. That hunting season, 203 were checked by hunters with AGFC's representatives.
The economy was bleak, but restoration of Arkansas's deer had been under way for more than a decade, most as the efforts may seem today. Deer "farms" were in operation in several locations. Deer were being relocated to places where they were absent and had been scarce for years since the late 19th century and early 20th century.
It is a reasonable assumption that some deer were taken by hunters in the fall of 1938 and were not checked, but were taken straight to kitchen use.
The next year, 1939, there were 540 deer checked as information spread around the state about this new requirement for hunters. In 1940, just 408 deer were checked, and in 1941, 433 deer were checked.
These totals seem tiny compared to recent years of Arkansas hunting.
Last season, the 2008 hunt that stretched into early 2009, 184,991 deer were tallied by Arkansas hunters, a total second only to the peak season of 1999 when 194,687 deer were logged across the state in records of all three hunting methods archery, muzzle-loader and modern gun.
long with the outright poaching and night-hunting, is present today as it was in 1938. Unknown, of course, is the extent of these illegal takings of deer. Does poaching account for a small percentage of the deer taken each year or a large amount?
Deer hunting numbers rose steadily from the early years, especially after the AGFC was reorganized into its present form by Amendment 35 of the Arkansas Constitution which went into effect in 1945. From the 1,687 deer checked that year, the state total was 5,122 just five years later. Fifteen years later, in 1960, the deer harvest total was 15,000.
Deer harvest growth continued through the 1960s and see-sawed a bit in the 1970s as the first steps toward hunting of female deer, does, in some areas began. Some protests came forth after the 1978 season when 43,452 deer were checked. Doe hunting was reduced, and in 1979 the total for the state was 36,074.
About this time, more tailored deer hunting regulations were crafted by the AGFC, allowing for more hunting days and more taking of does in areas where deer had become plentiful. Restricted rules were in effect for areas of lesser deer numbers.
It was 1987 when Arkansas's deer take reached six figures, with 106,392 checked that year by hunters. The total dipped in 1990, again with tightened hunting rules. Then it returned to six figures in 1991. The peak of 1999 climaxed five years of impressive numbers on the deer hunting scene.
Some hunters protested that too many deer were falling to hunters. New strategies in deer management came forth, including quality deer objectives on both private land and some public land.
After a dip in 2003, when tighter deer hunting rules were coupled with unfavorable weather, the statewide deer totals have climbed again to approach the peak of a decade ago.
Source: Baxter Bulletin
Monday, October 26, 2009
OPINION: Counting Deer in Wisconsin
How many deer are in Wisconsin? It depends on who you ask. From a recent story:
The debate is not new. What is new is some vehicle collision data that can be brought to bear on the question.
A collision data seems like a good source of data, at least at the level of a township. But does this hold up statewide?
You can look at the 2008 DoT Report here. I do not think there is much ammunition to give credence to the hunters saying deer populations are down. Here is data showing the relationship between deer-vehicle collisions in Wisconsin from 1993 to 2008. Do you see a trend? Because there isn't one.
What does this mean? The interpretation is ambiguous. If you think deer densities should correlate with deer crashes, you would probably be suspect of the crash estimates, the deer population estimates, or both.
I don't think Keith is correct here, either. His reasoning is correct, but he seems to exclude fewer deer as an explanation. The ideal approach to estimating population trends should incorporate all sources of data, but of course that is easier said than done.
In the final analysis, the exact number of deer does not really matter. If you are a hunter, what matters is seeing a deer during deer season. If you are a driver, what matters is not colliding with deer. Actual population estimates are nothing more than a tool to help population managers do their job. By this measure, the current SAK model, with all its flaws, does a reasonable job. That is not to say the DNR cannot do better. However, I think this latest salvo from the disgruntled deer hunters association has missed its target.
Source: NBC26
A debate continues to rage between Wisconsin hunters and the Department of Natural Resources over the true number of deer in the state. Hunters have repeatedly argued the deer population is dropping. The DNR counters saying there are too many deer in Wisconsin and the agency is studying a plan to extend the deer hunting season.
The debate is not new. What is new is some vehicle collision data that can be brought to bear on the question.
Now, hunters say they have the proof they need, a study that reportedly shows car-deer crashes in Wisconsin has dropped and has been dropping for years. Joe Terrien of MJ Collision Center in Bellevue has seen the numbers drop first hand. "Six years ago, we saw at least on deer hit a day. Now we're seeing two a week."
A collision data seems like a good source of data, at least at the level of a township. But does this hold up statewide?
Data from the Department of Transportation seem to confirm the drop. In 2003, a peak year according to the DOT there were more than 20 thousand car deer crashes reported by the State Patrol. Since then, the numbers are trending lower.
You can look at the 2008 DoT Report here. I do not think there is much ammunition to give credence to the hunters saying deer populations are down. Here is data showing the relationship between deer-vehicle collisions in Wisconsin from 1993 to 2008. Do you see a trend? Because there isn't one.
What does this mean? The interpretation is ambiguous. If you think deer densities should correlate with deer crashes, you would probably be suspect of the crash estimates, the deer population estimates, or both.
But DNR Spokesperson Kieth Warnke denied the connection between less deer and less car deer crashes."I don't think they reflect a magnitude of change in deer population state wide." Warnke does not deny the numbers in the study. But The DNR and DOT say there could be other factors involved. They give examples such as the bad economy is keeping many drivers off the roads and that may be responsible for the lower numbers.
I don't think Keith is correct here, either. His reasoning is correct, but he seems to exclude fewer deer as an explanation. The ideal approach to estimating population trends should incorporate all sources of data, but of course that is easier said than done.
In the final analysis, the exact number of deer does not really matter. If you are a hunter, what matters is seeing a deer during deer season. If you are a driver, what matters is not colliding with deer. Actual population estimates are nothing more than a tool to help population managers do their job. By this measure, the current SAK model, with all its flaws, does a reasonable job. That is not to say the DNR cannot do better. However, I think this latest salvo from the disgruntled deer hunters association has missed its target.
Source: NBC26
Friday, October 23, 2009
NEW JERSEY NEWS: Noise Devices Deployed to Reduce Collisions
Essex County will purchase and install noise-emitting devices to deter deer from roadways and potentially dangerous collisions with passing cars.
The devices will be put along Parsonage Hill Road and JFK Parkway in Millburn and around the East Orange Water Reserve in Livingston, county Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. announced Thursday.
The devices, which will be purchased through a $75,000 state Department of Transportation grant, emit a high-frequency noise to scare deer and prevent them from running into traffic. They are activated by sensors that detect headlights of approaching motor vehicles.
Hundreds of deer are struck and killed on county-managed roads each year, DiVincenzo said. Several dozen are also killed on municipal roads, county surveys revealed. The county has recorded 196 such accidents through September this year.
“The overabundance of deer in Essex County has destroyed the forest in our reservations and created dangerous situations on our roads. As we move forward in the third year of our culling program and accelerate the regrowth of our forests with an aggressive planting program, expanding the use of these reflectors will be a tremendous asset to make our roads safer and prevent deer-related accidents,”
DiVincenzo said in a news release issued Thursday.
The devices should be in place by the spring.
Last year, the county kicked off its deer deterrent pilot program last year when it installed similar devices along a 3-mile stretch of Cherry Lane, a county road that cuts through the South Mountain Reservation. That effort was funded by the Essex County Parks Foundation.
The county has already requested funding from the DOT to expand the program to include additional roadways.
Source: NJ.com
The devices will be put along Parsonage Hill Road and JFK Parkway in Millburn and around the East Orange Water Reserve in Livingston, county Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. announced Thursday.
The devices, which will be purchased through a $75,000 state Department of Transportation grant, emit a high-frequency noise to scare deer and prevent them from running into traffic. They are activated by sensors that detect headlights of approaching motor vehicles.
Hundreds of deer are struck and killed on county-managed roads each year, DiVincenzo said. Several dozen are also killed on municipal roads, county surveys revealed. The county has recorded 196 such accidents through September this year.
“The overabundance of deer in Essex County has destroyed the forest in our reservations and created dangerous situations on our roads. As we move forward in the third year of our culling program and accelerate the regrowth of our forests with an aggressive planting program, expanding the use of these reflectors will be a tremendous asset to make our roads safer and prevent deer-related accidents,”
DiVincenzo said in a news release issued Thursday.
The devices should be in place by the spring.
Last year, the county kicked off its deer deterrent pilot program last year when it installed similar devices along a 3-mile stretch of Cherry Lane, a county road that cuts through the South Mountain Reservation. That effort was funded by the Essex County Parks Foundation.
The county has already requested funding from the DOT to expand the program to include additional roadways.
Source: NJ.com
Thursday, October 22, 2009
NORTH CAROLINA NEWS: Deer and Deer Management at Duke Forest
here wasn't a deer in sight 38 years ago when Duke professor Norm Christensen began a long career studying the ecosystem of Duke Forest.
Now, deer are so abundant they've inserted themselves into his research. Christensen now studies how deer affect plant life just as he studies how hurricanes or climate change do.
"It really complicates what we're trying to understand," he said of sharing his research laboratory with so many deer. "But we're trying to make lemonade out of lemons."
Christensen may soon be documenting a drop in the deer population. Duke is in the midst of its second controlled hunt at Duke Forest in two years. Last fall, hunters killed 75 deer; this year, Duke officials hope to cull 100 white-tailed deer from a forest thought to hold as many as 600.
The exercise speaks to a problem that goes beyond the boundaries of the 7,000-acre Duke Forest. North Carolina's deer population has increased from about 670,000 in 1984 to more than 1.25 million in 2007, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
In such numbers, the deer are causing trouble. In addition to playing havoc with research in Duke Forest, they feast on people's gardens and landscaping and have caused 20 motor vehicle-related deaths in the last two years.
But the most popular solution -- regulated bow-hunting -- is hard for some people to stomach and has prompted public conversation and head-scratching about how best to handle the ubiquitous deer.
Some say the hunts are too dangerous. Others think they're morally wrong.
Lee Glenn fears the hunt will tear apart deer herds -- animal families that rely on each other. Glenn lives near Duke Forest in Orange County and has gotten to know a herd that frequents her backyard. They're close-knit and reliant on each other, she said.
"It would sort of be like if you had a brother or sister and someone decided to pick your brother or sister off," she said. "Just to thin you out a little."
Jane Norton, a sustainability educator, moved to her home in rural Orange County 22 years ago to be near Duke Forest. She doesn't think there are too many deer.
"I care about all of nature and think it's imperative...to live in harmony with the natural world," Norton said. "I think our purpose on this earth is to learn from nature. I don't believe in playing God."
No easy way
Some say the method of hunting -- bows and arrows -- is both dangerous and inhumane.
Evin Stanford, a deer biologist with the state Wildlife Resources Commission, disagrees. "If there was an "Easy" button to push to resolve the problem, believe me, we would implement it," Stanford said. "But hunting is really the only feasible mechanism we have."
Other methods, such as a contraceptive product called GonaCon, sound more humane but are expensive, difficult to administer and have not proven to have lasting results, Stanford said.
Around the region, local governments and neighborhoods alike are grappling with deer. In Chapel Hill, for example, residents of one neighborhood asked town leaders for permission to conduct a bowhunt. At least one town council member, Sally Greene, said an urban archery program like that was simply too dangerous.
N.C. State operates six forests for research purposes. On at least one, Schenk Forest near the RBC Center, the deer population is growing steadily, said Joe Cox, NCSU's college forest manager.
"It's unusual to go out there and not see a deer," Cox said, adding that NCSU hasn't begun to consider culling deer.
In Duke Forest, an acceptable number of deer would be 15 to 20 per square mile; officials estimate the population is about 80 per square mile, said Judson Edeburn, the Duke Forest Resource Manager. They feast on plants and trees and wipe out saplings before they have a chance to grow. When they venture out of the forest and into surrounding communities, they ravage gardens.
"What people plant in their yards is just a salad bar for deer," Edeburn said.
Over time, the deer population swelled as predators such as wolves and panthers dwindled. And residential development has played a role as well, turning forests into neighborhoods.
The hunt in Duke Forest runs through mid-December. Duke has contracted with two hunting groups, which Edeburn declined to identify. There will be about 70 hunters involved; 50 will use bows while about 20 will use guns. Not all will hunt at once.
Hunters can keep or donate the deer meat.
Duke Forest is divided into six divisions in Durham, Orange and Alamance counties. Hunters are operating in the Durham, Korstian, Blackwood and Hillsborough divisions, Monday through Friday. Those areas are closed to the public at those times, though teaching exercises are still allowed.
The hunters are trained marksmen required to demonstrate their accuracy each year by hitting a three-inch target from 20 yards, Edeburn said. They operate from deer stands perched in trees to shoot down rather than horizontally. They shoot not at the flank, neck or head, but at the lung or heart.
Generally, it takes one quick shot to kill a deer, Edeburn said.
"These are highly-skilled hunters," he said. "These are not amateurs."
Source: News Observer
Now, deer are so abundant they've inserted themselves into his research. Christensen now studies how deer affect plant life just as he studies how hurricanes or climate change do.
"It really complicates what we're trying to understand," he said of sharing his research laboratory with so many deer. "But we're trying to make lemonade out of lemons."
Christensen may soon be documenting a drop in the deer population. Duke is in the midst of its second controlled hunt at Duke Forest in two years. Last fall, hunters killed 75 deer; this year, Duke officials hope to cull 100 white-tailed deer from a forest thought to hold as many as 600.
The exercise speaks to a problem that goes beyond the boundaries of the 7,000-acre Duke Forest. North Carolina's deer population has increased from about 670,000 in 1984 to more than 1.25 million in 2007, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
In such numbers, the deer are causing trouble. In addition to playing havoc with research in Duke Forest, they feast on people's gardens and landscaping and have caused 20 motor vehicle-related deaths in the last two years.
But the most popular solution -- regulated bow-hunting -- is hard for some people to stomach and has prompted public conversation and head-scratching about how best to handle the ubiquitous deer.
Some say the hunts are too dangerous. Others think they're morally wrong.
Lee Glenn fears the hunt will tear apart deer herds -- animal families that rely on each other. Glenn lives near Duke Forest in Orange County and has gotten to know a herd that frequents her backyard. They're close-knit and reliant on each other, she said.
"It would sort of be like if you had a brother or sister and someone decided to pick your brother or sister off," she said. "Just to thin you out a little."
Jane Norton, a sustainability educator, moved to her home in rural Orange County 22 years ago to be near Duke Forest. She doesn't think there are too many deer.
"I care about all of nature and think it's imperative...to live in harmony with the natural world," Norton said. "I think our purpose on this earth is to learn from nature. I don't believe in playing God."
No easy way
Some say the method of hunting -- bows and arrows -- is both dangerous and inhumane.
Evin Stanford, a deer biologist with the state Wildlife Resources Commission, disagrees. "If there was an "Easy" button to push to resolve the problem, believe me, we would implement it," Stanford said. "But hunting is really the only feasible mechanism we have."
Other methods, such as a contraceptive product called GonaCon, sound more humane but are expensive, difficult to administer and have not proven to have lasting results, Stanford said.
Around the region, local governments and neighborhoods alike are grappling with deer. In Chapel Hill, for example, residents of one neighborhood asked town leaders for permission to conduct a bowhunt. At least one town council member, Sally Greene, said an urban archery program like that was simply too dangerous.
N.C. State operates six forests for research purposes. On at least one, Schenk Forest near the RBC Center, the deer population is growing steadily, said Joe Cox, NCSU's college forest manager.
"It's unusual to go out there and not see a deer," Cox said, adding that NCSU hasn't begun to consider culling deer.
In Duke Forest, an acceptable number of deer would be 15 to 20 per square mile; officials estimate the population is about 80 per square mile, said Judson Edeburn, the Duke Forest Resource Manager. They feast on plants and trees and wipe out saplings before they have a chance to grow. When they venture out of the forest and into surrounding communities, they ravage gardens.
"What people plant in their yards is just a salad bar for deer," Edeburn said.
Over time, the deer population swelled as predators such as wolves and panthers dwindled. And residential development has played a role as well, turning forests into neighborhoods.
The hunt in Duke Forest runs through mid-December. Duke has contracted with two hunting groups, which Edeburn declined to identify. There will be about 70 hunters involved; 50 will use bows while about 20 will use guns. Not all will hunt at once.
Hunters can keep or donate the deer meat.
Duke Forest is divided into six divisions in Durham, Orange and Alamance counties. Hunters are operating in the Durham, Korstian, Blackwood and Hillsborough divisions, Monday through Friday. Those areas are closed to the public at those times, though teaching exercises are still allowed.
The hunters are trained marksmen required to demonstrate their accuracy each year by hitting a three-inch target from 20 yards, Edeburn said. They operate from deer stands perched in trees to shoot down rather than horizontally. They shoot not at the flank, neck or head, but at the lung or heart.
Generally, it takes one quick shot to kill a deer, Edeburn said.
"These are highly-skilled hunters," he said. "These are not amateurs."
Source: News Observer
Friday, October 16, 2009
ILLINOIS NEWS: Deer-Vehicle Accidents Down 5% in 2008
The Illinois Department of Transportation on Wednesday released statistics showing there were 814 fewer crashes between vehicles and deer in 2008 than there were in 2007. There were 24,212 deer-vehicle crashes reported in 2008 in Illinois. The department also says fewer motorists were injured in the crashes -- 758 in 2008 compared with 843 in 2007.
Both the state transportation department and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources say motorists should be aware that deer are more active during the fall and during the dawn and dusk hours. Officials say motorists should wear their seat belts and be alert to deer on roadways.
The article fails to note the connection between accidents declining 5% and the deer population declined about 5% over the same interval.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Both the state transportation department and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources say motorists should be aware that deer are more active during the fall and during the dawn and dusk hours. Officials say motorists should wear their seat belts and be alert to deer on roadways.
The article fails to note the connection between accidents declining 5% and the deer population declined about 5% over the same interval.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
KANSAS NEWS: Shawnee Mission Park Cull Needs Security
Officials with the Johnson County Parks and Recreation Department say there will be tight security as efforts to reduce the deer herd in Shawnee Mission Park get under way.
Efforts to decrease the deer heard by 75% are scheduled to begin by the end of this week. County law enforcement officials are being trained by special sharpshooters. The park will be closed at the time the shooting takes place.
Opposition to the harvest has grown intense in recent weeks. Park spokesman Randy Knight says the county is taking threats by opponents to disrupt the harvest seriously.
Knight: "We're certainly not gonna publicize the dates, and they have not been set yet, but even when they are , it's a law enforcement operation and for public safety reasons we will not inform the public."
The perimeter of the park will be closely monitored by law enforcement officials, and Knight says the shooters will be located in a very small section of the park.
Source: KCUR
Efforts to decrease the deer heard by 75% are scheduled to begin by the end of this week. County law enforcement officials are being trained by special sharpshooters. The park will be closed at the time the shooting takes place.
Opposition to the harvest has grown intense in recent weeks. Park spokesman Randy Knight says the county is taking threats by opponents to disrupt the harvest seriously.
Knight: "We're certainly not gonna publicize the dates, and they have not been set yet, but even when they are , it's a law enforcement operation and for public safety reasons we will not inform the public."
The perimeter of the park will be closely monitored by law enforcement officials, and Knight says the shooters will be located in a very small section of the park.
Source: KCUR
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
MICHIGAN NEWS: Confirmed - EHD Kills Over 150 Deer
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources confirmed today that a virus called epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) has caused more than 150 deer to die in northeastern Livingston County.
State officials said this appears to be the largest outbreak of EHD in the state.
Residents in Deerfield and Tyrone townships have found deer carcasses in rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes in the last two months. The virus causes massive internal hemorrhaging, and the animals are overcome with a fever that forces them to seek out and submerge themselves in water in an attempt to cool off. The deer die soon after coming down with fever.
The disease is spread by a tiny, biting fly, or midge.
State officials said deer develop symptoms of the illness about seven days after exposure. Signs are: Loss of appetite, loss of the fear of humans, growing progressively weaker, excessive salivation.
There is no evidence the disease can be transmitted to humans.
However, state officials recommended residents do not hunt or eat deer they believe are sick.
The first documented EHD outbreak in Michigan occurred in 1955, followed by die-offs in 1974, 2006 and 2008. Last year, roughly 200 deer died from EHD in Oakland and Macomb counties.
Russ Mason, chief of the natural resources wildlife division, said more frequent outbreaks of EHD in the state could be a result of climate changes that favor the northward spread of biting flies that spread the disease.
Source: Livingston Daily
State officials said this appears to be the largest outbreak of EHD in the state.
Residents in Deerfield and Tyrone townships have found deer carcasses in rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes in the last two months. The virus causes massive internal hemorrhaging, and the animals are overcome with a fever that forces them to seek out and submerge themselves in water in an attempt to cool off. The deer die soon after coming down with fever.
The disease is spread by a tiny, biting fly, or midge.
State officials said deer develop symptoms of the illness about seven days after exposure. Signs are: Loss of appetite, loss of the fear of humans, growing progressively weaker, excessive salivation.
There is no evidence the disease can be transmitted to humans.
However, state officials recommended residents do not hunt or eat deer they believe are sick.
The first documented EHD outbreak in Michigan occurred in 1955, followed by die-offs in 1974, 2006 and 2008. Last year, roughly 200 deer died from EHD in Oakland and Macomb counties.
Russ Mason, chief of the natural resources wildlife division, said more frequent outbreaks of EHD in the state could be a result of climate changes that favor the northward spread of biting flies that spread the disease.
Source: Livingston Daily
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
WEST VIRGINIA NEWS: Bridgeport to Allow Hunting in City Limits
Bridgeport has become the fifth city in West Virginia to allow deer hunting within city limits.
City Council voted Monday to allow an urban deer hunt, with officials hoping to get it started on Oct. 7.
The possibility of an urban hunt had been in doubt earlier this year, when state Division of Natural Resources officials said Bridgeport had missed a deadline to apply for a hunt.
They ultimately ruled the deadline didn't apply to the city, and allowed the council's vote to go forward.
A consultant hired by the city estimated this spring there are 38 deer per square mile in Bridgeport.
Barboursville, Charleston, Weirton and Wheeling currently allow urban hunts.
Source: Charleston Gazette
City Council voted Monday to allow an urban deer hunt, with officials hoping to get it started on Oct. 7.
The possibility of an urban hunt had been in doubt earlier this year, when state Division of Natural Resources officials said Bridgeport had missed a deadline to apply for a hunt.
They ultimately ruled the deadline didn't apply to the city, and allowed the council's vote to go forward.
A consultant hired by the city estimated this spring there are 38 deer per square mile in Bridgeport.
Barboursville, Charleston, Weirton and Wheeling currently allow urban hunts.
Source: Charleston Gazette
USA NEWS: Every 26 Seconds...
More on the State Farm report.
One in every 228 Illinois drivers will hit a deer this year, according to a State Farm analysis.
Illinois deer-car collisions are up 3 percent from five years ago, a slight uptick compared with the 18 percent increase in collisions around the country in that same time period, State Farm is reporting.
The insurance agency's research suggests that every 26 seconds in America, someone slams a deer with a vehicle.
Dick Luedke, State Farm spokesman, said the data didn't break out specifics for the Chicago metropolitan area.
Illinois drivers don't need to journey far to find themselves more likely to be in the path of one of the beasts.
Neighbors Michigan and Iowa are second and fourth on the State Farm list. Rounding out the top five places drivers are most likely to hit a deer are West Virginia (1), Pennsylvania (3) and Montana (5).
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
One in every 228 Illinois drivers will hit a deer this year, according to a State Farm analysis.
Illinois deer-car collisions are up 3 percent from five years ago, a slight uptick compared with the 18 percent increase in collisions around the country in that same time period, State Farm is reporting.
The insurance agency's research suggests that every 26 seconds in America, someone slams a deer with a vehicle.
Dick Luedke, State Farm spokesman, said the data didn't break out specifics for the Chicago metropolitan area.
Illinois drivers don't need to journey far to find themselves more likely to be in the path of one of the beasts.
Neighbors Michigan and Iowa are second and fourth on the State Farm list. Rounding out the top five places drivers are most likely to hit a deer are West Virginia (1), Pennsylvania (3) and Montana (5).
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
HAWAII NEWS: Axis Deer on the Rise
A major and expensive pest has placed state lands, Hawaiian home lands, public and private watersheds, golf courses, parks, ranches, farms and home gardens under siege.
However, it is an extremely cute creature to many. A delicacy to some. And a potential lawsuit to others.
It's the spotted axis deer. But don't ask for an accurate population estimate for Maui County; the experts' answers are mostly anecdotal. However, they agree that the introduced animal's numbers are spiraling out of control.
While hunting education classes are booked five months in advance, fewer people hunt today than a generation ago. And the animals are increasingly finding refuge in town parks and suburbia, where firearms use could land hunters behind bars.
As in other states, Hawai'i has made efforts to increase the number of hunters to deal with exploding deer populations, such as offering popular hunter education classes, no bag limits, a year-round hunting season and cheap licenses.
Jeffrey DeRego, Maui Hunters and Sportsman Club president, said one of the largest obstacles to controlling the deer population — as well as those of feral pigs and goats — is America's litigious society. Rather than allow hunters onto their land to cull the herds for free, large landowners are warned by their insurance companies against allowing individuals onto their properties, he said.
However, hunting is a visitor attraction on Maui as well. The 1,000-acre Arrow One Ranch in Kula and Maui Hunting Safari offer "exclusive" hunting grounds for "free-range prey," according to the businesses' Web sites.
State wildlife biologist Shane De Mattos said axis deer have not significantly affected native forests so far, although the potential is there. Still, deer have devoured some wild taro patches on Moloka'i, which were replaced by California scrub brush.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser
However, it is an extremely cute creature to many. A delicacy to some. And a potential lawsuit to others.
It's the spotted axis deer. But don't ask for an accurate population estimate for Maui County; the experts' answers are mostly anecdotal. However, they agree that the introduced animal's numbers are spiraling out of control.
While hunting education classes are booked five months in advance, fewer people hunt today than a generation ago. And the animals are increasingly finding refuge in town parks and suburbia, where firearms use could land hunters behind bars.
As in other states, Hawai'i has made efforts to increase the number of hunters to deal with exploding deer populations, such as offering popular hunter education classes, no bag limits, a year-round hunting season and cheap licenses.
Jeffrey DeRego, Maui Hunters and Sportsman Club president, said one of the largest obstacles to controlling the deer population — as well as those of feral pigs and goats — is America's litigious society. Rather than allow hunters onto their land to cull the herds for free, large landowners are warned by their insurance companies against allowing individuals onto their properties, he said.
However, hunting is a visitor attraction on Maui as well. The 1,000-acre Arrow One Ranch in Kula and Maui Hunting Safari offer "exclusive" hunting grounds for "free-range prey," according to the businesses' Web sites.
State wildlife biologist Shane De Mattos said axis deer have not significantly affected native forests so far, although the potential is there. Still, deer have devoured some wild taro patches on Moloka'i, which were replaced by California scrub brush.
Source: Honolulu Advertiser
Monday, September 28, 2009
USA News: Deer Crash Risks for 2010
West Virginia drivers lead the U.S. in collisions with deer for the third straight year as a larger population of the animals meets increasing traffic in once-rural areas, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. said.
One in every 39 drivers in West Virginia is likely to hit a deer in the next 12 months, State Farm said today. The probability was 1 in 45 in last year’s study. Michigan ranked second, with odds of one in 78, according to State Farm claims data and motor vehicle registration counts from the Federal Highway Administration.
“We see thousands of dollars worth of damage,” said Spyro Nicoloudakis, co-owner of A-1 Body Shop in Charleston, West Virginia. “Everybody, one time or another, has had an experience with hitting a deer.”
Crashes reach their peak from October through December -- deer mating season -- and cause more than $1 billion in vehicle damage annually, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said in a separate study. Urban sprawl and limits on hunting contribute to the increase, wildlife specialists said.
“You have deer that are very actively seeking each other out and competing with each other for mates,” said John Niewoonder, big game specialist at Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources. No matter the time of year, “you have more roads and more people driving around,” he said.
Michigan is combating the problem by advising motorists not to “veer for deer.” People can put themselves at greater risk when they try to avoid hitting the animals, said Bob Felt, a spokesman for the state’s transportation department.
‘Brake Firmly’
“They end up going off the road and hitting a fixed object like a tree or a pole,” Felt said. “They get more seriously injured than they would have. To prevent fatalities and reduce injuries, we ask people to hold on to the steering wheel and brake firmly and come to a controlled stop.”
Hunting restriction in populated regions mean deer are growing more common in suburban areas, said Paul Curtis, an associate professor at Cornell University’s Department of Natural Resources.
“Deer are in those areas to start with, and they have low mortality because they are not hunted,” he said. “Adult does are having twins and occasionally triplets, so the population can increase pretty rapidly.”
Source: Bloomberg
One in every 39 drivers in West Virginia is likely to hit a deer in the next 12 months, State Farm said today. The probability was 1 in 45 in last year’s study. Michigan ranked second, with odds of one in 78, according to State Farm claims data and motor vehicle registration counts from the Federal Highway Administration.
“We see thousands of dollars worth of damage,” said Spyro Nicoloudakis, co-owner of A-1 Body Shop in Charleston, West Virginia. “Everybody, one time or another, has had an experience with hitting a deer.”
Crashes reach their peak from October through December -- deer mating season -- and cause more than $1 billion in vehicle damage annually, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said in a separate study. Urban sprawl and limits on hunting contribute to the increase, wildlife specialists said.
“You have deer that are very actively seeking each other out and competing with each other for mates,” said John Niewoonder, big game specialist at Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources. No matter the time of year, “you have more roads and more people driving around,” he said.
Michigan is combating the problem by advising motorists not to “veer for deer.” People can put themselves at greater risk when they try to avoid hitting the animals, said Bob Felt, a spokesman for the state’s transportation department.
‘Brake Firmly’
“They end up going off the road and hitting a fixed object like a tree or a pole,” Felt said. “They get more seriously injured than they would have. To prevent fatalities and reduce injuries, we ask people to hold on to the steering wheel and brake firmly and come to a controlled stop.”
Hunting restriction in populated regions mean deer are growing more common in suburban areas, said Paul Curtis, an associate professor at Cornell University’s Department of Natural Resources.
“Deer are in those areas to start with, and they have low mortality because they are not hunted,” he said. “Adult does are having twins and occasionally triplets, so the population can increase pretty rapidly.”
Source: Bloomberg
Friday, September 25, 2009
MICHIGAN NEWS: Dead Deer Probably Killed by EHD
Homeowners in the area around Hoisington and Bennett lakes have discovered dozens of dead white-tailed deer in their yards and waterways over the past few weeks.
Department of Natural Resources officials say it appears the deer are victims of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD — an acute, infectious and often fatal viral disease that is spread by a biting fly or midge. However, no definitive lab tests have been conducted at this point to confirm it.
“I don’t think there’s any question that’s what it is, from what they’re describing and seeing. The problem is they’re finding most of these deer by smell when they’re already decomposing and the virus breaks down with decomposition. To confirm EHD we have to work on fresh samples,” said DNR wildlife biologist Tom Cooley.
Cooley and a wildlife technician were enroute to the site on Thursday morning with a field kit in hopes of finding a carcass fresh enough to at least be examined for internal bleeding, one telltale of the disease that isn’t externally visible.
September 30 2009 Update: EHD has been confirmed as the causative agent.
Source: MLive
Department of Natural Resources officials say it appears the deer are victims of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or EHD — an acute, infectious and often fatal viral disease that is spread by a biting fly or midge. However, no definitive lab tests have been conducted at this point to confirm it.
“I don’t think there’s any question that’s what it is, from what they’re describing and seeing. The problem is they’re finding most of these deer by smell when they’re already decomposing and the virus breaks down with decomposition. To confirm EHD we have to work on fresh samples,” said DNR wildlife biologist Tom Cooley.
Cooley and a wildlife technician were enroute to the site on Thursday morning with a field kit in hopes of finding a carcass fresh enough to at least be examined for internal bleeding, one telltale of the disease that isn’t externally visible.
September 30 2009 Update: EHD has been confirmed as the causative agent.
Source: MLive
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Thirty-Point Buck Bagged
Remember, if you bag a thirty-pointer, it is due to your hunting prowess. If you get skunked, it is the DNR's fault for ruining the deer herd. -TR
A Fond du Lac resident bagged a 30-point whitetail buck by bow.
Wayne Schumacher shot the deer Sunday night from a tree stand near Rosendale.
Schumacher says the shot covered about 15 yards and the deer ran about 60 or 70 yards before going down.
Schumacher noted he's hunted with bow and gun for more than 30 years and he's known people who have seen the buck but it was hard to believe.
The deer, referred to as "Lucky Buck," has an inside antler spread of 20 inches. Its field-dressed weight was about 225 pounds. Estimates are that the deer is at least 4 years old.
Schumacher says the memory will be preserved with a shoulder mount.
Source: Chicago Tribune
A Fond du Lac resident bagged a 30-point whitetail buck by bow.
Wayne Schumacher shot the deer Sunday night from a tree stand near Rosendale.
Schumacher says the shot covered about 15 yards and the deer ran about 60 or 70 yards before going down.
Schumacher noted he's hunted with bow and gun for more than 30 years and he's known people who have seen the buck but it was hard to believe.
The deer, referred to as "Lucky Buck," has an inside antler spread of 20 inches. Its field-dressed weight was about 225 pounds. Estimates are that the deer is at least 4 years old.
Schumacher says the memory will be preserved with a shoulder mount.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Monday, September 21, 2009
MAINE NEWS: Another Low Harvest Predicted for this Year
Maine’s deer kill is expected to be the smallest in at least 25 years this fall because the deer herd has been shrinking across the state.
The harvest during November’s deer-hunting season is projected to come in at 19,476. That would be the smallest harvest since 1984, when hunters bagged 19,358 deer.
To pump up the dwindling deer population, the state has issued fewer permits this year that allow hunters to shoot female deer. George Smith, head of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, expects fewer hunters to take to the woods this fall.
“We continue to lose a key part of our hunting heritage,’’ Smith said.
Maine’s deer herd has become smaller following two straight winters with deep snowpacks and cold temperatures. Contributing to the decline, Smith said, is increasing predation from bears and coyotes. Bears prey on deer fawns, and coyotes prey on both adults and fawns.
Last fall’s deer kill came in at 21,062, which was 27 percent below the 2007 total.
Other northern New England states had mixed results last year. In Vermont, hunters killed 17,046 deer, up 17 percent from 2007. The 2009 season is expected to be comparable to last year.
New Hampshire’s deer kill came in at 10,916 deer, down 19 percent from the previous year. The 2009 deer kill is expected to increase, especially in southern and western areas, where winter weather has been less severe.
This year’s deer kill in Maine could be one for the ages - but not one that hunters will like. If the kill comes in lower than projections, it could fall to levels not seen since 1971, when 18,903 deer were killed.
The smallest kill before that took place in 1934, when hunters took 13,284 deer.
“We’re right on the cusp, in that the deer harvest could go a bunch of different ways, on where it goes in the record books,’’ said Lee Kantar, the deer and moose biologist with Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Officials issue fewer permits when the deer population needs a boost, and more permits when the herd needs thinning.
Source: boston.com
The harvest during November’s deer-hunting season is projected to come in at 19,476. That would be the smallest harvest since 1984, when hunters bagged 19,358 deer.
To pump up the dwindling deer population, the state has issued fewer permits this year that allow hunters to shoot female deer. George Smith, head of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, expects fewer hunters to take to the woods this fall.
“We continue to lose a key part of our hunting heritage,’’ Smith said.
Maine’s deer herd has become smaller following two straight winters with deep snowpacks and cold temperatures. Contributing to the decline, Smith said, is increasing predation from bears and coyotes. Bears prey on deer fawns, and coyotes prey on both adults and fawns.
Last fall’s deer kill came in at 21,062, which was 27 percent below the 2007 total.
Other northern New England states had mixed results last year. In Vermont, hunters killed 17,046 deer, up 17 percent from 2007. The 2009 season is expected to be comparable to last year.
New Hampshire’s deer kill came in at 10,916 deer, down 19 percent from the previous year. The 2009 deer kill is expected to increase, especially in southern and western areas, where winter weather has been less severe.
This year’s deer kill in Maine could be one for the ages - but not one that hunters will like. If the kill comes in lower than projections, it could fall to levels not seen since 1971, when 18,903 deer were killed.
The smallest kill before that took place in 1934, when hunters took 13,284 deer.
“We’re right on the cusp, in that the deer harvest could go a bunch of different ways, on where it goes in the record books,’’ said Lee Kantar, the deer and moose biologist with Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
Officials issue fewer permits when the deer population needs a boost, and more permits when the herd needs thinning.
Source: boston.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
MARYLAND NEWS: Loch Raven Deer Cull Expanded
This year's managed deer hunt around Loch Raven Reservoir, which began Sept. 15 and continues until Jan. 31, 2010, will include 800 additional acres compared to last year's hunt, and will include an area accessible to disabled hunters.
A total of 2,400 acres of the reservoir's 8,000 acres, up from last year's 1,600 acres, will be open to bow hunting, according to Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.
The city department owns and manages the reservoir property outside of Towson.
Bow hunting for deer at Loch Raven Reservoir is allowed from sunrise to sunset until the end of January and will continue seasonally thereafter.
There is no hunting on Sunday.
"I think we made it clear last year that we were going to try it out and, if it worked out, then we would open up the rest of the area that we could," said Kocher.
He said continued hunting in the area is required because the deer population is "still above a number that is sustainable."
Last year, city and county officials said a large deer population was responsible for destroying undergrowth of the forest.
That destruction was leading to a decline in water quality in the reservoir, and also starving deer, they said.
"This wasn't just a public safety and environmental issue," said Don Mohler, a county spokesman. "It was very inhumane for the deer who are starving."
Deer were also involved in a number of car accidents.
Most of the additional acreage is in the northern areas of the reservoir property.
The city also has opened up a portion of the property on Dulaney Valley Road near Jarrettsville Pike that will be accessible to disabled hunters, Kocher said.
"Basically, it's an area where we could make it easily accessible for people in wheelchairs to get in and get out," he said.
The city had received one request for such access from the wife of a hunter who uses a wheelchair, Kocher said.
City and county officials unveiled the planned expansion at a meeting for community association representatives in Towson last week.
Only two people attended and both were in favor of the expanded hunting areas, according to both Koch and Mohler.
Last year was the first year the city opened the reservoir to deer hunters
Areas around the Liberty and Pretty Boy reservoirs have hosted similar hunts, without incident, for nearly four decades, officials said.
The 2,400 acres open to hunting this year do not include some of the southern most areas of the reservoir, which are near the dam as well as large numbers of housing developments and public activity, according to Kocher.
Those areas were later part of a hunt by professional hunters hired by the county.
Kocher said it is unlikely that any other areas of the reservoir will be opened to non-professional deer hunters.
"You never say never, but never," he said.
In all, about 400 deer were taken from the reservoir area between the managed bow hunt and the professional deer hunting, Kocher said.
Source: Explore Baltimore County
A total of 2,400 acres of the reservoir's 8,000 acres, up from last year's 1,600 acres, will be open to bow hunting, according to Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works.
The city department owns and manages the reservoir property outside of Towson.
Bow hunting for deer at Loch Raven Reservoir is allowed from sunrise to sunset until the end of January and will continue seasonally thereafter.
There is no hunting on Sunday.
"I think we made it clear last year that we were going to try it out and, if it worked out, then we would open up the rest of the area that we could," said Kocher.
He said continued hunting in the area is required because the deer population is "still above a number that is sustainable."
Last year, city and county officials said a large deer population was responsible for destroying undergrowth of the forest.
That destruction was leading to a decline in water quality in the reservoir, and also starving deer, they said.
"This wasn't just a public safety and environmental issue," said Don Mohler, a county spokesman. "It was very inhumane for the deer who are starving."
Deer were also involved in a number of car accidents.
Most of the additional acreage is in the northern areas of the reservoir property.
The city also has opened up a portion of the property on Dulaney Valley Road near Jarrettsville Pike that will be accessible to disabled hunters, Kocher said.
"Basically, it's an area where we could make it easily accessible for people in wheelchairs to get in and get out," he said.
The city had received one request for such access from the wife of a hunter who uses a wheelchair, Kocher said.
City and county officials unveiled the planned expansion at a meeting for community association representatives in Towson last week.
Only two people attended and both were in favor of the expanded hunting areas, according to both Koch and Mohler.
Last year was the first year the city opened the reservoir to deer hunters
Areas around the Liberty and Pretty Boy reservoirs have hosted similar hunts, without incident, for nearly four decades, officials said.
The 2,400 acres open to hunting this year do not include some of the southern most areas of the reservoir, which are near the dam as well as large numbers of housing developments and public activity, according to Kocher.
Those areas were later part of a hunt by professional hunters hired by the county.
Kocher said it is unlikely that any other areas of the reservoir will be opened to non-professional deer hunters.
"You never say never, but never," he said.
In all, about 400 deer were taken from the reservoir area between the managed bow hunt and the professional deer hunting, Kocher said.
Source: Explore Baltimore County
INDIANA NEWS: Early Hunt Starts in Warsaw
Deer hunting season won’t kick off until October in Indiana – that is, unless you live in Warsaw. The D.N.R. declared the city an urban deer hunting zone because of so many deer there.
Deer hunting season won’t kick off until October in Indiana – that is, unless you live in Warsaw. The D.N.R. declared the city an urban deer hunting zone because of so many deer there.
So, despite a city ordinance that bans hunting within city limits, the city council has granted 62 archers permission to hunt in four zones around town.
The areas are near homes, where residents say they’re fed up with deer.
Robert Gephart puts a lot of time into making his yard look nice for the neighborhood.
"It's frustrating, particularly when you spend the time and energy to have a nice yard," said Gephart, who put up an electronic fence to keep the deer away.
Gephart uses a fence; others will be using bows and arrows.
“This is not a trophy hunt, this is a deer reduction effort,” said Perry Hunter, Warsaw’s police chief.
“I’m hoping that this year might be a banner year for us, that we can reduce the herd quite a bit,” said Hunter.
Source: wndu.com
Deer hunting season won’t kick off until October in Indiana – that is, unless you live in Warsaw. The D.N.R. declared the city an urban deer hunting zone because of so many deer there.
So, despite a city ordinance that bans hunting within city limits, the city council has granted 62 archers permission to hunt in four zones around town.
The areas are near homes, where residents say they’re fed up with deer.
Robert Gephart puts a lot of time into making his yard look nice for the neighborhood.
"It's frustrating, particularly when you spend the time and energy to have a nice yard," said Gephart, who put up an electronic fence to keep the deer away.
Gephart uses a fence; others will be using bows and arrows.
“This is not a trophy hunt, this is a deer reduction effort,” said Perry Hunter, Warsaw’s police chief.
“I’m hoping that this year might be a banner year for us, that we can reduce the herd quite a bit,” said Hunter.
Source: wndu.com
Monday, September 14, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Rate of CWD Spread Accelerates
Deadly chronic wasting disease will continue to spread, threatening the state’s deer population and hunting culture for years to come, a national expert said.
“Just from a conservation standpoint, thinking about the deer herd out there, this is not a good thing,” said Bryan Richards, CWD project leader for the U.S Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.
“People may well choose to go hunting elsewhere.”
The rate of the disease in bucks 2½ years old in western Dane County and eastern Iowa County, for example, was 15.5 percent in 2008, up from 10 percent in 2007, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The prevalence in yearling bucks was 6 percent in 2008, double the previous year.
“I think that outcome was anticipated at least by those of us that have spent time looking at disease trends in other areas,” Richards said.
A gradual increase in the rate of the disease is expected to continue in the future, he said.
In Colorado and Wyoming, CWD slowly increased in deer over time, eventually infecting about 30 percent of deer in some herds, said Dennis Heisey, CWD research biologist for the National Wildlife Health Center.
Wisconsin likely will follow that trend, Richards said.
“In Wisconsin, our state numbers are much lower than that,” he said. “But over time, there is no reason to think we won’t get there.”
If that happens, evidence suggests hunters will go elsewhere, threatening the state’s hunting culture as a recreation and boon to the economy, Richards said.
Although research shows the disease is not threatening to humans or livestock, hunters likely would not want to hunt in areas where so many deer have CWD, he said.
And, if hunters leave, the deer herd would explode, Richards said.
Overpopulation could lead to more deer-vehicle collisions, crop damage and suburban encounters, he said.
“Lots of things go wrong when you have too many deer,” Richards said.
CWD was discovered in southern Wisconsin in February 2002. Nearly 152,000 deer have been tested for the disease, with 1,172 testing positive.
The DNR created a CWD management zone to minimize the spread of the disease. The zone includes all or parts of 16 counties in south-central Wisconsin, including Rock, Walworth, Jefferson and Green counties.
The DNR wants to manage the disease through continued population reduction. The deer population in the CWD management zone is lower than in recent years, but remains higher than population goals, according to the DNR.
Hunters in the zone can use rifles instead of shotguns, enjoy a holiday gun season and kill an unlimited number of bucks for every antlerless deer they shoot first.
Officials reviewing CWD management plan
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has proposed a new chronic wasting disease management plan that aims to minimize the number of infected deer and stop the spread of the fatal disease.
The DNR’s previous goal was to try and eradicate the disease, said Dan Jones, the DNR’s CWD assistant biologist.
The strategy changed after seven years of CWD management failed to prevent an increase in the infection rate and an acceptance that the disease is not going away, according to the DNR.
“It’s become increasingly obvious that this was going to be a long-term management effort,” Jones said. “It definitely won’t be something that just goes away overnight.
“Hopefully, we can reduce it.”
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board recently tabled the revised plan and voted to appoint a special committee to review it. The committee is expected to report back to the board at its December meeting.
According to the DNR, the CWD management plan’s key strategies include:
-- Preventing new outbreaks of CWD. Stopping CWD from cropping up in new areas of the state is less expensive and less damaging than fighting the disease after it’s established.
-- Responding to new disease locations. Aggressively responding if CWD is discovered in a new area is the best option for control.
-- Controlling distribution and intensity of CWD. This includes reducing the number of deer in infected areas through hunting and other methods.
-- Increasing public recognition and understanding of CWD risks. Residents must be informed of the latest scientific knowledge and recommendations for managing the disease.
-- Addressing the needs of hunters and residents. This includes deer testing, donating venison to food pantries, disposing of deer carcasses, monitoring for human prion diseases and examining potential risk to livestock.
-- Enhancing the scientific information about CWD with research, funding for university research and collaborating in studies conducted nationally and internationally.
How can I get my deer tested for CWD?
If hunters want their deer tested for chronic wasting disease, several local registration stations can help.
Seven stations in Rock, Walworth and Green counties work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to test deer for CWD.
Mike Foy, DNR wildlife biologist for Rock and Green County, said many local hunters voluntarily test their deer for CWD.
“There are people who do it for health reasons, there are people who do it because they’re interested in the disease, and there are people who do it because we ask them to,” he said.
The World Health Organization advises people to only eat meat from animals that test negative for CWD, Foy said.
Yet research shows the disease is not threatening to humans, said Bryan Richards, CWD project leader for the U.S Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.
The bottom line is science is in the beginning stage of knowledge and research on CWD, Foy said.
“Why take a chance?” he said. “Let’s err on the side of caution until we know more.”
When you kill a deer, take it to one of the registration stations helping with CWD testing, said Dan Jones, CWD assistant biologist for the DNR.
The registration station will collect your deer’s head and your contact information, he said. In some cases, lymph nodes can be taken from the deer’s neck for testing.
A number is assigned to the deer, and the head goes to a DNR testing lab, Jones said.
The result of the test is mailed to you on a postcard, he said. If the test is positive, you’ll get a phone call.
Hunters can have their deer tested for free, Jones said, and results will be returned in four to six weeks.
Veterinarians will test for a fee.
Testing is voluntary except in mandatory zones, including the eastern half of Rock County and the western half of Walworth County, he said.
Nearly 152,000 deer in Wisconsin have been tested for CWD, with 1,173 testing positive.
In Rock County, 5,917 deer have been analyzed for CWD, with 70 testing positive.
In Walworth County, 5,428 deer have been tested for CWD, with 54 testing positive.
The DNR plans to sample 8,250 adult deer in 2009.
Source: Janesville Gazette
“Just from a conservation standpoint, thinking about the deer herd out there, this is not a good thing,” said Bryan Richards, CWD project leader for the U.S Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.
“People may well choose to go hunting elsewhere.”
The rate of the disease in bucks 2½ years old in western Dane County and eastern Iowa County, for example, was 15.5 percent in 2008, up from 10 percent in 2007, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The prevalence in yearling bucks was 6 percent in 2008, double the previous year.
“I think that outcome was anticipated at least by those of us that have spent time looking at disease trends in other areas,” Richards said.
A gradual increase in the rate of the disease is expected to continue in the future, he said.
In Colorado and Wyoming, CWD slowly increased in deer over time, eventually infecting about 30 percent of deer in some herds, said Dennis Heisey, CWD research biologist for the National Wildlife Health Center.
Wisconsin likely will follow that trend, Richards said.
“In Wisconsin, our state numbers are much lower than that,” he said. “But over time, there is no reason to think we won’t get there.”
If that happens, evidence suggests hunters will go elsewhere, threatening the state’s hunting culture as a recreation and boon to the economy, Richards said.
Although research shows the disease is not threatening to humans or livestock, hunters likely would not want to hunt in areas where so many deer have CWD, he said.
And, if hunters leave, the deer herd would explode, Richards said.
Overpopulation could lead to more deer-vehicle collisions, crop damage and suburban encounters, he said.
“Lots of things go wrong when you have too many deer,” Richards said.
CWD was discovered in southern Wisconsin in February 2002. Nearly 152,000 deer have been tested for the disease, with 1,172 testing positive.
The DNR created a CWD management zone to minimize the spread of the disease. The zone includes all or parts of 16 counties in south-central Wisconsin, including Rock, Walworth, Jefferson and Green counties.
The DNR wants to manage the disease through continued population reduction. The deer population in the CWD management zone is lower than in recent years, but remains higher than population goals, according to the DNR.
Hunters in the zone can use rifles instead of shotguns, enjoy a holiday gun season and kill an unlimited number of bucks for every antlerless deer they shoot first.
Officials reviewing CWD management plan
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has proposed a new chronic wasting disease management plan that aims to minimize the number of infected deer and stop the spread of the fatal disease.
The DNR’s previous goal was to try and eradicate the disease, said Dan Jones, the DNR’s CWD assistant biologist.
The strategy changed after seven years of CWD management failed to prevent an increase in the infection rate and an acceptance that the disease is not going away, according to the DNR.
“It’s become increasingly obvious that this was going to be a long-term management effort,” Jones said. “It definitely won’t be something that just goes away overnight.
“Hopefully, we can reduce it.”
The Wisconsin Natural Resources Board recently tabled the revised plan and voted to appoint a special committee to review it. The committee is expected to report back to the board at its December meeting.
According to the DNR, the CWD management plan’s key strategies include:
-- Preventing new outbreaks of CWD. Stopping CWD from cropping up in new areas of the state is less expensive and less damaging than fighting the disease after it’s established.
-- Responding to new disease locations. Aggressively responding if CWD is discovered in a new area is the best option for control.
-- Controlling distribution and intensity of CWD. This includes reducing the number of deer in infected areas through hunting and other methods.
-- Increasing public recognition and understanding of CWD risks. Residents must be informed of the latest scientific knowledge and recommendations for managing the disease.
-- Addressing the needs of hunters and residents. This includes deer testing, donating venison to food pantries, disposing of deer carcasses, monitoring for human prion diseases and examining potential risk to livestock.
-- Enhancing the scientific information about CWD with research, funding for university research and collaborating in studies conducted nationally and internationally.
How can I get my deer tested for CWD?
If hunters want their deer tested for chronic wasting disease, several local registration stations can help.
Seven stations in Rock, Walworth and Green counties work with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to test deer for CWD.
Mike Foy, DNR wildlife biologist for Rock and Green County, said many local hunters voluntarily test their deer for CWD.
“There are people who do it for health reasons, there are people who do it because they’re interested in the disease, and there are people who do it because we ask them to,” he said.
The World Health Organization advises people to only eat meat from animals that test negative for CWD, Foy said.
Yet research shows the disease is not threatening to humans, said Bryan Richards, CWD project leader for the U.S Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison.
The bottom line is science is in the beginning stage of knowledge and research on CWD, Foy said.
“Why take a chance?” he said. “Let’s err on the side of caution until we know more.”
When you kill a deer, take it to one of the registration stations helping with CWD testing, said Dan Jones, CWD assistant biologist for the DNR.
The registration station will collect your deer’s head and your contact information, he said. In some cases, lymph nodes can be taken from the deer’s neck for testing.
A number is assigned to the deer, and the head goes to a DNR testing lab, Jones said.
The result of the test is mailed to you on a postcard, he said. If the test is positive, you’ll get a phone call.
Hunters can have their deer tested for free, Jones said, and results will be returned in four to six weeks.
Veterinarians will test for a fee.
Testing is voluntary except in mandatory zones, including the eastern half of Rock County and the western half of Walworth County, he said.
Nearly 152,000 deer in Wisconsin have been tested for CWD, with 1,173 testing positive.
In Rock County, 5,917 deer have been analyzed for CWD, with 70 testing positive.
In Walworth County, 5,428 deer have been tested for CWD, with 54 testing positive.
The DNR plans to sample 8,250 adult deer in 2009.
Source: Janesville Gazette
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