To better maintain a balanced deer herd, the DNR has encouraged the taking of antlerless deer during hunting season. Yesterday, the Natural Resources Commission ratified a proposal by the DNR that will reduce the cost of certain bonus antlerless deer tags.
Under the new proposal the cost of the first bonus antlerless deer license remains $24 for Indiana residents and $150 for non-residents. But to encourage the taking of additional antlerless deer, the cost for the second and subsequent bonus antlerless tags falls to $15 for Indiana residents and $24 for non-residents.
“Since the whitetail deer was re-introduced into Indiana in the 1950s, deer hunting has been both a sport and a biological necessity,” said Kyle Hupfer, DNR director. “Man has always been the primary predator for whitetail deer so hunting is important in maintaining Indiana’s deer herd population at a proper biological level and a size more acceptable to the human population.
“The new fee structure established yesterday will help with herd management while also reducing the financial burden on hunters who assist the state in regulating the deer population.”
Copyright Tri-State Media 2001-2006.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
IRELAND NEWS: Government Cost-shares Deer Fences for Foresters
THE SCOURGE of deer to farm forestry is to be addressed with the introduction of a new grant to meet 80% of the costs of deer fencing. With an increase in the population of deer over the recent years, farmers have complained that it was growing increasingly difficult to establish broadleaf or diverse conifer species in areas populated by deer.
They also complained that with the explosion in population, deer were spreading into parts of the country they had never been seen in before and were browsing on young broadleaves and some conifer species.
The new grant, which was introduced by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Mary Wallace, has been welcomed by Carlow IFA forestry chairman, Dan Galavan.
“This grant will make a huge difference to many farmer foresters,” Mr Galavan said. “The grant will be available to farm-ers who are establishing new plantations and to growers who wish to upgrade fencing on existing forestry.
“The cost of deer fencing at around •10 per metre has been prohibitive for some forest owners prior to the introduction of this assistance.”
Mr Galavan said that it didn’t make sense for farmers, the Government or the EU to invest in forestry and then for deer to make a meal of it. He pointed out that fencing was one of many control measures that can be used to protect forests from deer.
“The relevant authorities must also look at means of controlling the population to sustainable levels if we are to get on top of a situation which already is out of control in many parts of the country,” he added.
Farmers who wish to avail of the grant should contact the Approvals Section (Deer Fencing) of the Forest Service in Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford.
They also complained that with the explosion in population, deer were spreading into parts of the country they had never been seen in before and were browsing on young broadleaves and some conifer species.
The new grant, which was introduced by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Mary Wallace, has been welcomed by Carlow IFA forestry chairman, Dan Galavan.
“This grant will make a huge difference to many farmer foresters,” Mr Galavan said. “The grant will be available to farm-ers who are establishing new plantations and to growers who wish to upgrade fencing on existing forestry.
“The cost of deer fencing at around •10 per metre has been prohibitive for some forest owners prior to the introduction of this assistance.”
Mr Galavan said that it didn’t make sense for farmers, the Government or the EU to invest in forestry and then for deer to make a meal of it. He pointed out that fencing was one of many control measures that can be used to protect forests from deer.
“The relevant authorities must also look at means of controlling the population to sustainable levels if we are to get on top of a situation which already is out of control in many parts of the country,” he added.
Farmers who wish to avail of the grant should contact the Approvals Section (Deer Fencing) of the Forest Service in Johnstown Castle Estate, Wexford.
WISCONSIN NEWS: Deer population at 1.7 million
By Jim Mense, Outdoor Columnist, Dunn County News
Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer population is projected to be 1.5 to 1.7 million this fall, which figures to be 12 percent higher than last fall. According to Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the DNR, that projection is well above established population goals, but better than biologists expected or ever hoped for. Given the limited herd control seasons last year and the extremely mild winter in northern Wisconsin, hunters did a fine job limiting projected herd growth to 12 percent. But, he continued, you can see by the amount of herd control and earn-a-buck units this fall, of which 59B is a part, that hunters really need to step up to the plate this fall and harvest antlerless deer to keep the deep population within the carrying capacity of the land and reducing crop and garden depredation. And last but not least, vehicular collisions.
No four-Day October Hunt
Hunters are reminded there is a not 4-day October antlerless gun hunt. A moratorium on October gun hunting of deer will be implemented on a two-year trial basis with an option to reinstate the October antlerless hunt after one year if deer harvests in herd control units such as 59B, drops below a 1.4 to 1 antlerless to buck ratio. The October herd control hunt, we know as the Zone T hunt was effective at reducing deer populations. But, according to Warnke, it was unpopular with hunters who felt that it interfered with the very best time for archery deer hunting. Not only bow hunting but pheasant, grouse, turkey and even waterfowl hunting.
Warnke is asking hunters to harvest two anterlerless deer for every antlered buck. If that is accomplished, it has the potential to resolve some of the conflict in deer management. What to do with multiple deer carcasses? Can you think of an easier way to help feed the hungry among us? The Dunn County Fish & Game Club will again be coordinating the program along with area food pantries, meat processors and the DNR that will be happy to accept every deer you harvest if you want it that way. You shoot it, and hungry folks will be happy to eat it.
Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer population is projected to be 1.5 to 1.7 million this fall, which figures to be 12 percent higher than last fall. According to Keith Warnke, big game ecologist for the DNR, that projection is well above established population goals, but better than biologists expected or ever hoped for. Given the limited herd control seasons last year and the extremely mild winter in northern Wisconsin, hunters did a fine job limiting projected herd growth to 12 percent. But, he continued, you can see by the amount of herd control and earn-a-buck units this fall, of which 59B is a part, that hunters really need to step up to the plate this fall and harvest antlerless deer to keep the deep population within the carrying capacity of the land and reducing crop and garden depredation. And last but not least, vehicular collisions.
No four-Day October Hunt
Hunters are reminded there is a not 4-day October antlerless gun hunt. A moratorium on October gun hunting of deer will be implemented on a two-year trial basis with an option to reinstate the October antlerless hunt after one year if deer harvests in herd control units such as 59B, drops below a 1.4 to 1 antlerless to buck ratio. The October herd control hunt, we know as the Zone T hunt was effective at reducing deer populations. But, according to Warnke, it was unpopular with hunters who felt that it interfered with the very best time for archery deer hunting. Not only bow hunting but pheasant, grouse, turkey and even waterfowl hunting.
Warnke is asking hunters to harvest two anterlerless deer for every antlered buck. If that is accomplished, it has the potential to resolve some of the conflict in deer management. What to do with multiple deer carcasses? Can you think of an easier way to help feed the hungry among us? The Dunn County Fish & Game Club will again be coordinating the program along with area food pantries, meat processors and the DNR that will be happy to accept every deer you harvest if you want it that way. You shoot it, and hungry folks will be happy to eat it.
Monday, July 31, 2006
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Unified Sportsman Sues for More Deer
By Bob Frye
TRIBUNE-REVIEW OUTDOORS EDITOR
Monday, July 31, 2006
Hunters unhappy with the Pennsylvania Game Commission's current deer management program won at least a partial victory in court last week.
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said in a ruling last week that the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania can proceed with a lawsuit against the Game Commission and its deer program.
The suit centers around deer populations. The Game Commission has lowered deer densities in many areas of the state through a program biologists say is meant to bring deer into balance with the available habitat.
The Unified Sportsmen, however, allege that the program is based on faulty science and has decimated deer populations needlessly, thereby threatening hunting and deer.
The commission -- being represented by the state Attorney General's office, as required by law -- tried to get the case thrown out of court. Their attorneys had argued that the commission, as the agency responsible for managing deer in the commonwealth, "owned" the deer, so no entity such as the Unified Sportsmen could sue it over its deer plan. In his ruling, Simpson disagreed with that opinion.
"Because the Game Code clearly recognizes the interests of sportsmen and protects an adequate opportunity to hunt and trap the Commonwealth's wildlife resources, standing is conferred by statute," Simpson wrote.
"In other words, the judge soundly rejected the idea that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is not responsible to sportsmen, and he further rejected the idea that sportsmen have no right to sue them," said Greg Levengood, chairman of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania. "This in itself is a major victory for sportsmen."
Simpson did, however, did dismiss the portion of the lawsuit that targeted the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Gov. Rendell, two entities Unified had targeted because of their support for the deer program. Simpson said neither are directly responsible for deer management,
Simpson said the Unified Sportsmen must now clarify its complaint before it can move forward.
TRIBUNE-REVIEW OUTDOORS EDITOR
Monday, July 31, 2006
Hunters unhappy with the Pennsylvania Game Commission's current deer management program won at least a partial victory in court last week.
Commonwealth Court Judge Robert Simpson said in a ruling last week that the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania can proceed with a lawsuit against the Game Commission and its deer program.
The suit centers around deer populations. The Game Commission has lowered deer densities in many areas of the state through a program biologists say is meant to bring deer into balance with the available habitat.
The Unified Sportsmen, however, allege that the program is based on faulty science and has decimated deer populations needlessly, thereby threatening hunting and deer.
The commission -- being represented by the state Attorney General's office, as required by law -- tried to get the case thrown out of court. Their attorneys had argued that the commission, as the agency responsible for managing deer in the commonwealth, "owned" the deer, so no entity such as the Unified Sportsmen could sue it over its deer plan. In his ruling, Simpson disagreed with that opinion.
"Because the Game Code clearly recognizes the interests of sportsmen and protects an adequate opportunity to hunt and trap the Commonwealth's wildlife resources, standing is conferred by statute," Simpson wrote.
"In other words, the judge soundly rejected the idea that the Pennsylvania Game Commission is not responsible to sportsmen, and he further rejected the idea that sportsmen have no right to sue them," said Greg Levengood, chairman of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania. "This in itself is a major victory for sportsmen."
Simpson did, however, did dismiss the portion of the lawsuit that targeted the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Gov. Rendell, two entities Unified had targeted because of their support for the deer program. Simpson said neither are directly responsible for deer management,
Simpson said the Unified Sportsmen must now clarify its complaint before it can move forward.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
TENNESSEE NEWS: No deer baiting this hunting season
There will be no deer hunting over bait in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. At their meeting last week the TWRC considered the pros and cons, finally siding with the TWR-Agency's recommendation against it. The TWRA spent two months studying data from 15 states, seven of which allow hunting deer over bait.
The primary concern was the deer's increased susceptibility to disease; the next concern was powerful toxins that develop in the feed grains, especially corn. Studies also indicated that deer became more nocturnal when feeding on bait. Finally, in a survey done by the TWRA, more than 60 percent of hunters and non-hunters were opposed to baiting deer. Huzzah.
Tom Wiest is an outdoors writer. Write to him at: Tom Wiest, c/o The Daily Times, P.O. Box 9740, Maryville, TN 37802-9740 or e-mail to tomwiest@att.net
The primary concern was the deer's increased susceptibility to disease; the next concern was powerful toxins that develop in the feed grains, especially corn. Studies also indicated that deer became more nocturnal when feeding on bait. Finally, in a survey done by the TWRA, more than 60 percent of hunters and non-hunters were opposed to baiting deer. Huzzah.
Tom Wiest is an outdoors writer. Write to him at: Tom Wiest, c/o The Daily Times, P.O. Box 9740, Maryville, TN 37802-9740 or e-mail to tomwiest@att.net
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
IOWA NEWS: Overpopulation at Council Bluffs
TIM ROHWER, Staff Writer, Daily Nonpareil
The deer population in Council Bluffs is on the rise, and action should be taken now to control that growth before it gets out of hand, local officials said Monday.
"I've seen more deer this year at Dodge Park than I've ever seen," said Mayor Tom Hanafan.
He also said Fairmount Park is a "haven for deer."
City Councilman Scott Belt added, "The herd at Manawa is getting (to be) a good size."
"It's a steady increase," Public Health Director Donn Dierks said. "We've seen an increase in deer collection, but I don't have the manpower to do it."
"We have an escalating problem," Hanafan said.
Last year, the city picked up more than 200 dead deer from car collisions.
Doug Clayton, a law enforcement official with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, suggested the city consider the use of bow hunting to reduce the deer population.
He said the Iowa Legislature this year passed a law offering more protection for landowners who allow bow hunting on their properties.
"Before it gets through the roof, you may want to implement something," Clayton told the council during its Monday afternoon study session.
He recommended that Council Bluffs avoid a similar situation to that faced by Iowa City. That city put off its deer population problem until it got so bad, the city had to hire sharpshooters costing up to $30,000 to control it, Clayton said.
"If you get it at a respectable level, bow hunting will maintain it," he said.
There have also never been any negative incidents around the country involving bow hunting, Clayton said.
"Bow hunting can work," he said.
The council did not take any official action, and Clayton said the city doesn't have to act immediately if it wants to make sure bow hunting is done properly. This year's bow hunting season opens Oct. 1.
"One more year, I wouldn't see a problem," Clayton said.
The city does allow bow hunting on agricultural-zoned land, according to City Attorney Richard Wade. There's been past discussion of expanding that to residential properties of 15 or more acres, though the few that there are probably would not make a big impact on the deer population, he said.
Wade said that the city might consider organized hunts on city property, such as parks. Tree stands could be used so that hunters would shoot downward for better safety measures, it was mentioned during the meeting.
The deer population in Council Bluffs is on the rise, and action should be taken now to control that growth before it gets out of hand, local officials said Monday.
"I've seen more deer this year at Dodge Park than I've ever seen," said Mayor Tom Hanafan.
He also said Fairmount Park is a "haven for deer."
City Councilman Scott Belt added, "The herd at Manawa is getting (to be) a good size."
"It's a steady increase," Public Health Director Donn Dierks said. "We've seen an increase in deer collection, but I don't have the manpower to do it."
"We have an escalating problem," Hanafan said.
Last year, the city picked up more than 200 dead deer from car collisions.
Doug Clayton, a law enforcement official with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, suggested the city consider the use of bow hunting to reduce the deer population.
He said the Iowa Legislature this year passed a law offering more protection for landowners who allow bow hunting on their properties.
"Before it gets through the roof, you may want to implement something," Clayton told the council during its Monday afternoon study session.
He recommended that Council Bluffs avoid a similar situation to that faced by Iowa City. That city put off its deer population problem until it got so bad, the city had to hire sharpshooters costing up to $30,000 to control it, Clayton said.
"If you get it at a respectable level, bow hunting will maintain it," he said.
There have also never been any negative incidents around the country involving bow hunting, Clayton said.
"Bow hunting can work," he said.
The council did not take any official action, and Clayton said the city doesn't have to act immediately if it wants to make sure bow hunting is done properly. This year's bow hunting season opens Oct. 1.
"One more year, I wouldn't see a problem," Clayton said.
The city does allow bow hunting on agricultural-zoned land, according to City Attorney Richard Wade. There's been past discussion of expanding that to residential properties of 15 or more acres, though the few that there are probably would not make a big impact on the deer population, he said.
Wade said that the city might consider organized hunts on city property, such as parks. Tree stands could be used so that hunters would shoot downward for better safety measures, it was mentioned during the meeting.
Friday, July 21, 2006
NEW JERSEY NEWS: More parks open to hunting, seasons extended, contraception tactics fail
The Morris County Park Commission wants to add hours and more locations in county-owned parks for deer hunting, and improve communication with hunters, property owners and towns during the fall hunting season.
Rob Jennings, the park commission's wildlife manager, has told park commissioners that the proposals are aimed at reducing the number of deer-car collisions and controlling the deer population to allow damaged forests and other habitats to regrow.
Hunting remains the most effective deer control method, Jennings said -- pointing to less-than-hoped-for results of a program that tested deer contraceptives at Giralda Farms in Madison, with one-third of the treated deer getting pregnant.
The number of deer-car accidents in Morris County nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004, Jennings said. In 2003, there were 1,276 reported crashes, and 2,331 in 2004. Statewide statistics showed the same pattern, he said, with 7,689 in 2003 and 13,599 in 2004.
Hunterdon County also recently opened more of its park system for deer hunting.
To highlight how forests can be regenerated, Jennings showed the commission a photograph of a deer fence in a county park. One side shows brown grass and little leafy vegetation, while the plant life inside the fence is green and thriving.
Seeing deer along roadsides or in neighborhood yards in the middle of the afternoon is a symptom of the problem, he said. It means there is little for deer to eat in the forests and fields, and that they have become too familiar with suburban life to be spooked.
"They are supposed to run away," he said.
Jennings said high deer densities were listed among the most serious threats facing threatened and endangered wildlife species today. Migratory birds, for example, are hampered in their search for breeding grounds by over-browsed forests, he said.
The county's response to the size of the deer herd, Jennings said, is guided in part by the 2005 policy statement by the New Jersey Audubon Society, which called for increased hunting.
That report on forest health cited several effects of over-browsing by deer, including the increase in invasive organisms, including plants, insects and disease; the loss of the beauty of the state's natural habitats as they collapse under attack from elements from which they have no natural defense; and continued damage to the ground cover and mid-level plants in forests.
The Audubon Society report said: "With freedom from predators, high birth rates and increased longevity, suburban areas can experience exponential deer population growth."
Jennings also cited a 2004 Pennsylvania Audubon Society report that said that state's forests are in trouble and "over-browsing by the excessive white-tailed deer is the main problem. Even to the untrained eye, the absence of plants at lower levels and razor-straight browse lines (the maximum height to which deer browse) is obvious."
The Pennsylvania report continued, "Virtually every unfenced private or public forested area in our region suffers from this problem."
Morris County Freeholder Jack Schrier, a former member of New Jersey's Fish and Game Council, said the county parks'plans mirror those supported by the state council, which call for encouraging public and private landowners to allow hunting on their properties.
Schrier has resigned himself to the notion that, until a more effective alternate method is found, hunting will be the primary method of controlling the deer herd. But, he said, this is not necessarily working. Hunters annually take between 30,000 to 70,000 deer, he said, but the state's deer herd is estimated each year at more than 300,000.
Schrier said it might be too soon to judge the Giralda Farm project, even though the results seem disappointing. The program calls for using an experimental drug, hormone-based GnRH, that has been successful when used in other mammals, he said. The drug does not yet have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. A decade ago, the county ran a pilot contraceptive program with another product that was not FDA-approved, which also proved unsuccessful.
The $200,000 Giralda Farm program is budgeted for five years. It is not designed to replace hunting, but to test whether alternative control measures are effective in areas where hunting cannot be done.
Schrier, a key supporter of the Giralda Farm program, said that, "I'm reluctant to say we are back to square one."
Jennings said the county's hunting program is not aimed at just killing deer, but is part of a program to make habitats uncomfortable for them. Then they move on, he said.
A recent survey in Lewis Morris Park in Morris Township, where hunting has been allowed since 1991, showed the deer population is about 11 to 20 deer per quarter mile, a significant reduction. The result, he said, is that native plants and grasses are returning to the woods and fields of the park.
The Morris County Park Commission wants to add hours and more locations in county-owned parks for deer hunting, and improve communication with hunters, property owners and towns during the fall hunting season.
Rob Jennings, the park commission's wildlife manager, has told park commissioners that the proposals are aimed at reducing the number of deer-car collisions and controlling the deer population to allow damaged forests and other habitats to regrow.
Hunting remains the most effective deer control method, Jennings said -- pointing to less-than-hoped-for results of a program that tested deer contraceptives at Giralda Farms in Madison, with one-third of the treated deer getting pregnant.
The number of deer-car accidents in Morris County nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004, Jennings said. In 2003, there were 1,276 reported crashes, and 2,331 in 2004. Statewide statistics showed the same pattern, he said, with 7,689 in 2003 and 13,599 in 2004.
Hunterdon County also recently opened more of its park system for deer hunting.
To highlight how forests can be regenerated, Jennings showed the commission a photograph of a deer fence in a county park. One side shows brown grass and little leafy vegetation, while the plant life inside the fence is green and thriving.
Seeing deer along roadsides or in neighborhood yards in the middle of the afternoon is a symptom of the problem, he said. It means there is little for deer to eat in the forests and fields, and that they have become too familiar with suburban life to be spooked.
"They are supposed to run away," he said.
Jennings said high deer densities were listed among the most serious threats facing threatened and endangered wildlife species today. Migratory birds, for example, are hampered in their search for breeding grounds by over-browsed forests, he said.
The county's response to the size of the deer herd, Jennings said, is guided in part by the 2005 policy statement by the New Jersey Audubon Society, which called for increased hunting.
That report on forest health cited several effects of over-browsing by deer, including the increase in invasive organisms, including plants, insects and disease; the loss of the beauty of the state's natural habitats as they collapse under attack from elements from which they have no natural defense; and continued damage to the ground cover and mid-level plants in forests.
The Audubon Society report said: "With freedom from predators, high birth rates and increased longevity, suburban areas can experience exponential deer population growth."
Jennings also cited a 2004 Pennsylvania Audubon Society report that said that state's forests are in trouble and "over-browsing by the excessive white-tailed deer is the main problem. Even to the untrained eye, the absence of plants at lower levels and razor-straight browse lines (the maximum height to which deer browse) is obvious."
The Pennsylvania report continued, "Virtually every unfenced private or public forested area in our region suffers from this problem."
Morris County Freeholder Jack Schrier, a former member of New Jersey's Fish and Game Council, said the county parks'plans mirror those supported by the state council, which call for encouraging public and private landowners to allow hunting on their properties.
Schrier has resigned himself to the notion that, until a more effective alternate method is found, hunting will be the primary method of controlling the deer herd. But, he said, this is not necessarily working. Hunters annually take between 30,000 to 70,000 deer, he said, but the state's deer herd is estimated each year at more than 300,000.
Schrier said it might be too soon to judge the Giralda Farm project, even though the results seem disappointing. The program calls for using an experimental drug, hormone-based GnRH, that has been successful when used in other mammals, he said. The drug does not yet have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. A decade ago, the county ran a pilot contraceptive program with another product that was not FDA-approved, which also proved unsuccessful.
The $200,000 Giralda Farm program is budgeted for five years. It is not designed to replace hunting, but to test whether alternative control measures are effective in areas where hunting cannot be done.
Schrier, a key supporter of the Giralda Farm program, said that, "I'm reluctant to say we are back to square one."
Jennings said the county's hunting program is not aimed at just killing deer, but is part of a program to make habitats uncomfortable for them. Then they move on, he said.
A recent survey in Lewis Morris Park in Morris Township, where hunting has been allowed since 1991, showed the deer population is about 11 to 20 deer per quarter mile, a significant reduction. The result, he said, is that native plants and grasses are returning to the woods and fields of the park.
Rob Jennings, the park commission's wildlife manager, has told park commissioners that the proposals are aimed at reducing the number of deer-car collisions and controlling the deer population to allow damaged forests and other habitats to regrow.
Hunting remains the most effective deer control method, Jennings said -- pointing to less-than-hoped-for results of a program that tested deer contraceptives at Giralda Farms in Madison, with one-third of the treated deer getting pregnant.
The number of deer-car accidents in Morris County nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004, Jennings said. In 2003, there were 1,276 reported crashes, and 2,331 in 2004. Statewide statistics showed the same pattern, he said, with 7,689 in 2003 and 13,599 in 2004.
Hunterdon County also recently opened more of its park system for deer hunting.
To highlight how forests can be regenerated, Jennings showed the commission a photograph of a deer fence in a county park. One side shows brown grass and little leafy vegetation, while the plant life inside the fence is green and thriving.
Seeing deer along roadsides or in neighborhood yards in the middle of the afternoon is a symptom of the problem, he said. It means there is little for deer to eat in the forests and fields, and that they have become too familiar with suburban life to be spooked.
"They are supposed to run away," he said.
Jennings said high deer densities were listed among the most serious threats facing threatened and endangered wildlife species today. Migratory birds, for example, are hampered in their search for breeding grounds by over-browsed forests, he said.
The county's response to the size of the deer herd, Jennings said, is guided in part by the 2005 policy statement by the New Jersey Audubon Society, which called for increased hunting.
That report on forest health cited several effects of over-browsing by deer, including the increase in invasive organisms, including plants, insects and disease; the loss of the beauty of the state's natural habitats as they collapse under attack from elements from which they have no natural defense; and continued damage to the ground cover and mid-level plants in forests.
The Audubon Society report said: "With freedom from predators, high birth rates and increased longevity, suburban areas can experience exponential deer population growth."
Jennings also cited a 2004 Pennsylvania Audubon Society report that said that state's forests are in trouble and "over-browsing by the excessive white-tailed deer is the main problem. Even to the untrained eye, the absence of plants at lower levels and razor-straight browse lines (the maximum height to which deer browse) is obvious."
The Pennsylvania report continued, "Virtually every unfenced private or public forested area in our region suffers from this problem."
Morris County Freeholder Jack Schrier, a former member of New Jersey's Fish and Game Council, said the county parks'plans mirror those supported by the state council, which call for encouraging public and private landowners to allow hunting on their properties.
Schrier has resigned himself to the notion that, until a more effective alternate method is found, hunting will be the primary method of controlling the deer herd. But, he said, this is not necessarily working. Hunters annually take between 30,000 to 70,000 deer, he said, but the state's deer herd is estimated each year at more than 300,000.
Schrier said it might be too soon to judge the Giralda Farm project, even though the results seem disappointing. The program calls for using an experimental drug, hormone-based GnRH, that has been successful when used in other mammals, he said. The drug does not yet have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. A decade ago, the county ran a pilot contraceptive program with another product that was not FDA-approved, which also proved unsuccessful.
The $200,000 Giralda Farm program is budgeted for five years. It is not designed to replace hunting, but to test whether alternative control measures are effective in areas where hunting cannot be done.
Schrier, a key supporter of the Giralda Farm program, said that, "I'm reluctant to say we are back to square one."
Jennings said the county's hunting program is not aimed at just killing deer, but is part of a program to make habitats uncomfortable for them. Then they move on, he said.
A recent survey in Lewis Morris Park in Morris Township, where hunting has been allowed since 1991, showed the deer population is about 11 to 20 deer per quarter mile, a significant reduction. The result, he said, is that native plants and grasses are returning to the woods and fields of the park.
The Morris County Park Commission wants to add hours and more locations in county-owned parks for deer hunting, and improve communication with hunters, property owners and towns during the fall hunting season.
Rob Jennings, the park commission's wildlife manager, has told park commissioners that the proposals are aimed at reducing the number of deer-car collisions and controlling the deer population to allow damaged forests and other habitats to regrow.
Hunting remains the most effective deer control method, Jennings said -- pointing to less-than-hoped-for results of a program that tested deer contraceptives at Giralda Farms in Madison, with one-third of the treated deer getting pregnant.
The number of deer-car accidents in Morris County nearly doubled from 2003 to 2004, Jennings said. In 2003, there were 1,276 reported crashes, and 2,331 in 2004. Statewide statistics showed the same pattern, he said, with 7,689 in 2003 and 13,599 in 2004.
Hunterdon County also recently opened more of its park system for deer hunting.
To highlight how forests can be regenerated, Jennings showed the commission a photograph of a deer fence in a county park. One side shows brown grass and little leafy vegetation, while the plant life inside the fence is green and thriving.
Seeing deer along roadsides or in neighborhood yards in the middle of the afternoon is a symptom of the problem, he said. It means there is little for deer to eat in the forests and fields, and that they have become too familiar with suburban life to be spooked.
"They are supposed to run away," he said.
Jennings said high deer densities were listed among the most serious threats facing threatened and endangered wildlife species today. Migratory birds, for example, are hampered in their search for breeding grounds by over-browsed forests, he said.
The county's response to the size of the deer herd, Jennings said, is guided in part by the 2005 policy statement by the New Jersey Audubon Society, which called for increased hunting.
That report on forest health cited several effects of over-browsing by deer, including the increase in invasive organisms, including plants, insects and disease; the loss of the beauty of the state's natural habitats as they collapse under attack from elements from which they have no natural defense; and continued damage to the ground cover and mid-level plants in forests.
The Audubon Society report said: "With freedom from predators, high birth rates and increased longevity, suburban areas can experience exponential deer population growth."
Jennings also cited a 2004 Pennsylvania Audubon Society report that said that state's forests are in trouble and "over-browsing by the excessive white-tailed deer is the main problem. Even to the untrained eye, the absence of plants at lower levels and razor-straight browse lines (the maximum height to which deer browse) is obvious."
The Pennsylvania report continued, "Virtually every unfenced private or public forested area in our region suffers from this problem."
Morris County Freeholder Jack Schrier, a former member of New Jersey's Fish and Game Council, said the county parks'plans mirror those supported by the state council, which call for encouraging public and private landowners to allow hunting on their properties.
Schrier has resigned himself to the notion that, until a more effective alternate method is found, hunting will be the primary method of controlling the deer herd. But, he said, this is not necessarily working. Hunters annually take between 30,000 to 70,000 deer, he said, but the state's deer herd is estimated each year at more than 300,000.
Schrier said it might be too soon to judge the Giralda Farm project, even though the results seem disappointing. The program calls for using an experimental drug, hormone-based GnRH, that has been successful when used in other mammals, he said. The drug does not yet have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. A decade ago, the county ran a pilot contraceptive program with another product that was not FDA-approved, which also proved unsuccessful.
The $200,000 Giralda Farm program is budgeted for five years. It is not designed to replace hunting, but to test whether alternative control measures are effective in areas where hunting cannot be done.
Schrier, a key supporter of the Giralda Farm program, said that, "I'm reluctant to say we are back to square one."
Jennings said the county's hunting program is not aimed at just killing deer, but is part of a program to make habitats uncomfortable for them. Then they move on, he said.
A recent survey in Lewis Morris Park in Morris Township, where hunting has been allowed since 1991, showed the deer population is about 11 to 20 deer per quarter mile, a significant reduction. The result, he said, is that native plants and grasses are returning to the woods and fields of the park.
DEER RESEARCH: Feeding Promotes Overbrowsing
Year-round supplemental feeding programs for whitetail deer could lead to the overgrazing and damage of native forage plants located near feeding stations.
That's the word according to a news release summarizing a year-long research study conducted at a ranch near Uvalde by wildlife scientists from Texas A&M University.
Experts conducted the study by dividing the ranch into six quadrants. They compared forage use in three areas with deer feeders to three areas where supplemental feed was not made available.
Radio collars were placed on about two dozen adult deer to pattern their movements.
The study showed the browse utilization analysis was confined to three palatable plant species grown in pots in green house conditions. Researchers placed the plants within 100 yards of feeders, and at center of no-feed quadrants to monitor usage during varied seasons of the year.
Varied degrees of test plant utilization were documented over the course of the study, according to Susan Cooper, the lead researcher.
"The fate of the seedlings was recorded as either browsed, dead or gone," Cooper said. "Gone meant there were no additional seedlings available to replace the plant after it had been browsed. Each plant species and season was analyzed separately."
Interestingly, Cooper noticed that activity of collared does seem to become more concentrated than bucks to core areas where supplemental feed was available.
The scientist concluded that land managers with year-round supplemental feeding programs in place might consider altering feeder locations periodically to reduce the potential of habitat degradation because of overgrazing of popular forage plants.
That's the word according to a news release summarizing a year-long research study conducted at a ranch near Uvalde by wildlife scientists from Texas A&M University.
Experts conducted the study by dividing the ranch into six quadrants. They compared forage use in three areas with deer feeders to three areas where supplemental feed was not made available.
Radio collars were placed on about two dozen adult deer to pattern their movements.
The study showed the browse utilization analysis was confined to three palatable plant species grown in pots in green house conditions. Researchers placed the plants within 100 yards of feeders, and at center of no-feed quadrants to monitor usage during varied seasons of the year.
Varied degrees of test plant utilization were documented over the course of the study, according to Susan Cooper, the lead researcher.
"The fate of the seedlings was recorded as either browsed, dead or gone," Cooper said. "Gone meant there were no additional seedlings available to replace the plant after it had been browsed. Each plant species and season was analyzed separately."
Interestingly, Cooper noticed that activity of collared does seem to become more concentrated than bucks to core areas where supplemental feed was available.
The scientist concluded that land managers with year-round supplemental feeding programs in place might consider altering feeder locations periodically to reduce the potential of habitat degradation because of overgrazing of popular forage plants.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
UK NEWS: Roe Deer and Lyme Disease
Scientists in Bath believe an increase in the number of roe deer is to blame for an explosion in the number of ticks, which can cause Lyme disease.
The university researchers are warning walkers and joggers around the city that the disease can bring on arthritis, nerve and heart problems.
They say people should stick to footpaths and to remove ticks with tweezers to reduce infection risks.
Ticks prefer skin creases like the armpit, groin or back of knee.
If a tick carrying the bacteria bites someone and remains on the body then the bacteria may get into the bloodstream.
Between two days and four weeks later an expanding, circular red rash appears at the point of the bite.
Tiredness, headache, joint pains, and flu-like symptoms may also occur.
Unless treated with antibiotics these symptoms may last for weeks, even months.
In some cases very serious problems arise many years later.
The university researchers are warning walkers and joggers around the city that the disease can bring on arthritis, nerve and heart problems.
They say people should stick to footpaths and to remove ticks with tweezers to reduce infection risks.
Ticks prefer skin creases like the armpit, groin or back of knee.
If a tick carrying the bacteria bites someone and remains on the body then the bacteria may get into the bloodstream.
Between two days and four weeks later an expanding, circular red rash appears at the point of the bite.
Tiredness, headache, joint pains, and flu-like symptoms may also occur.
Unless treated with antibiotics these symptoms may last for weeks, even months.
In some cases very serious problems arise many years later.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
WISCONSIN NEWS: High Deer Survival During 05-06 Winter
The 2005-2006 winter weather should have no negative effect on white-tailed deer survival and reproduction in Wisconsin. That's according to the annual Winter Severity Indices report from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The report takes into consideration factors, such as snow depth, minimum temperatures and reproduction the following year at 32 stations across the northern third of Wisconsin.
"This winter ranked as mild with an average severity index of 36," said Brad Koele, assistant DNR big game ecologist. "We had two stations reporting severe conditions and a few recorded moderate conditions. Overall, this index doesn't cause concern about excessive winter mortality or reduced spring reproduction, although we are still in our fawn observation period when field biologists, wardens and foresters are asked to record their daily observations of deer and fawns."
The DNR says roughly 63 percent of the accumulated WSI points for the 2005-06 observation period were 'low temperature' points that occurred sporadically with February being the coldest month.
The report takes into consideration factors, such as snow depth, minimum temperatures and reproduction the following year at 32 stations across the northern third of Wisconsin.
"This winter ranked as mild with an average severity index of 36," said Brad Koele, assistant DNR big game ecologist. "We had two stations reporting severe conditions and a few recorded moderate conditions. Overall, this index doesn't cause concern about excessive winter mortality or reduced spring reproduction, although we are still in our fawn observation period when field biologists, wardens and foresters are asked to record their daily observations of deer and fawns."
The DNR says roughly 63 percent of the accumulated WSI points for the 2005-06 observation period were 'low temperature' points that occurred sporadically with February being the coldest month.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
GREATER LONDON AREA, UK NEWS: Muntjac problems continue
MUNTJAC deer are destroying young trees in a Welwyn Garden City wood and may have to be culled if their numbers continue to rise.
The deer, along with grey squirrels, are named as woodland vandals in a report by Welwyn Hatfield Council into the state of Sherrardspark Wood and Northaw Great Wood because they destroy young and coppiced trees. The report says both animals are present in high numbers, as are rhododendron bushes, and that action needs to be taken to prevent the decline of native species in the wood.
The council is planning to remove a large number of the rhododendrons, not a native UK species, and protestors have put up signs in Sherrardspark Wood urging the council to let the bushes stay.
But Councillor Alan Franey, executive member for environment, explained that the council was under obligation to abide by rules set by the Government's wildlife watchdog, English Nature, because the wood had been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In a letter to the Review he said: "English Nature advises local authorities of actions that must take place to ensure these important habitats are protected. Rhododendrons, whilst obviously very attractive when in flower, are not a natural species of such woods."
The council's landscapes officer Chris James said the situation could become very serious if left unchecked. She said: "The rhododendrons are slowly but surely increasing. We don't want the situation they've got in Wales and Cornwall where whole valleys are being taken up with them and they are losing all their native vegetation underneath.
"What we want is a nice mixed oak and hornbeam woodland, not a rhododendron monoculture."
The council is proposing to leave some rhododendrons in the middle of the wood so that visitors can still enjoy them.
Pressed as to the possible fate of the muntjacs and grey squirrels, Mrs James said no decision had yet been made. She said: "There is no actual policy at the moment but we have obviously got the problem in mind so it is inevitable that we will have to consider it.
"I think in Sherrardspark Wood it would be extremely difficult to cull deer as the wood is very highly visited, but at the same time if there are too many deer and English Nature want us to address it then we will have to.
"I'm not an expert marksman so I'm not sure exactly what we could do."
Mrs James said the muntjac's favourite food was bramble shoots, but that they often ate the shoots of young trees and trees which were re-growing after being coppiced.
The muntjac, a small deer about 90cm long, is native to China and Taiwan but was introduced to parks in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire about 100 years ago and is now a common sight in woodland in the South East.
The deer, along with grey squirrels, are named as woodland vandals in a report by Welwyn Hatfield Council into the state of Sherrardspark Wood and Northaw Great Wood because they destroy young and coppiced trees. The report says both animals are present in high numbers, as are rhododendron bushes, and that action needs to be taken to prevent the decline of native species in the wood.
The council is planning to remove a large number of the rhododendrons, not a native UK species, and protestors have put up signs in Sherrardspark Wood urging the council to let the bushes stay.
But Councillor Alan Franey, executive member for environment, explained that the council was under obligation to abide by rules set by the Government's wildlife watchdog, English Nature, because the wood had been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
In a letter to the Review he said: "English Nature advises local authorities of actions that must take place to ensure these important habitats are protected. Rhododendrons, whilst obviously very attractive when in flower, are not a natural species of such woods."
The council's landscapes officer Chris James said the situation could become very serious if left unchecked. She said: "The rhododendrons are slowly but surely increasing. We don't want the situation they've got in Wales and Cornwall where whole valleys are being taken up with them and they are losing all their native vegetation underneath.
"What we want is a nice mixed oak and hornbeam woodland, not a rhododendron monoculture."
The council is proposing to leave some rhododendrons in the middle of the wood so that visitors can still enjoy them.
Pressed as to the possible fate of the muntjacs and grey squirrels, Mrs James said no decision had yet been made. She said: "There is no actual policy at the moment but we have obviously got the problem in mind so it is inevitable that we will have to consider it.
"I think in Sherrardspark Wood it would be extremely difficult to cull deer as the wood is very highly visited, but at the same time if there are too many deer and English Nature want us to address it then we will have to.
"I'm not an expert marksman so I'm not sure exactly what we could do."
Mrs James said the muntjac's favourite food was bramble shoots, but that they often ate the shoots of young trees and trees which were re-growing after being coppiced.
The muntjac, a small deer about 90cm long, is native to China and Taiwan but was introduced to parks in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire about 100 years ago and is now a common sight in woodland in the South East.
Monday, July 03, 2006
MICHIGAN NEWS: One buck per hunter in UP?
Marquette - Deer hunters in the Upper Peninsula could be reduced to a one-buck per season limit.
The state Natural Resources Commission plans to discuss and vote on the proposal Thursday in Big Rapids.
Michigan hunters have been allowed to bag two bucks per season for more than a decade.
Commissioner John Madigan of Munising last month proposed the one-buck limit, whether it's taken by bow, gun or muzzleloader. If approved, the rule becomes effective this year.
Madigan says UP sportsmen like the one-buck limit because they think the region's deer population is declining.
The state Natural Resources Commission plans to discuss and vote on the proposal Thursday in Big Rapids.
Michigan hunters have been allowed to bag two bucks per season for more than a decade.
Commissioner John Madigan of Munising last month proposed the one-buck limit, whether it's taken by bow, gun or muzzleloader. If approved, the rule becomes effective this year.
Madigan says UP sportsmen like the one-buck limit because they think the region's deer population is declining.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Lyme Q&A
BY ANITA MANNING
USA TODAY
Ah, summer. Time to get out of the house and into nature. And time to start watching for the tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme disease, says medical entomologist Richard Falco of Fordham University.
June and July are the peak season for Lyme disease because ticks are in their nymphal stage and are most active. Reporter Anita Manning interviews Falco and other experts who offer basic information on Lyme disease, a potentially dangerous illness:
Q: How do people get the disease?
A: The bacterium is transmitted by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks. It is not known to pass from one person to another, from a pet to a person, through blood transfusion or by eating infected deer or squirrels.
Q: Is the disease a concern only in the summer?
A: Lyme disease is reported year-round, but the majority of cases occur in the summer. The disease has been reported in nearly every state. About 20,000 cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year, a national average of nearly seven cases per 100,000. But in the 12 states where it is most common, the average was just over 27 per 100,000.
Q: What should I do to protect myself and my family?
A: If possible, avoid woods and tall grass. If not, the CDC advises using bug repellent containing DEET and doing frequent body checks. The nymphal ticks are tiny, about the size of a poppy seed, so it's important to look carefully, particularly on legs, arms and groin.
About 70 percent of Lyme disease infections are acquired around the home. "If you live in an urban area and go to the park once a month, you're likely be more diligent," Falco says. "But if you live in an area where there are ticks and there's risk just walking to the mailbox, it's difficult to take these precautions day in and day out."
Q: What can I can do around the house and yard to get rid of ticks?
A: Ticks need high humidity to survive, so remove leaf litter, keep grass short and cut back underbrush. In regions of high infestation, such as the Northeast, "chemical control is probably the least difficult and most effective way to control ticks in the suburban environment," Falco says. Spraying an insecticide in early June and again in the fall is "optimal."
Q: What are the symptoms, and how is the disease treated?
A: Symptoms vary, but about 70 percent of people develop a circular rash at the site of the bite after three to 30 days. The rash expands over days to as large as a foot in diameter, developing a bull's-eye appearance. Patients also have chills, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes. Prompt treatment with antibiotics resolves most cases, but some people continue to have symptoms for months or years. Untreated, it can lead to chronic illnesses, including arthritis and neurological problems.
Q: Can my pets get it?
A: Dogs are very susceptible and can pick up ticks easily because they're low to the ground and love to roll around in grasses. Ticks apparently aren't as attracted to cats, so they're less vulnerable, says veterinarian Richard Ford of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University.
A dog carrying ticks poses a threat not only to itself but also to humans in the house. "The dog moved out of the doghouse a long time ago. People are sleeping with their pets," Ford says. Pet owners should apply topical tick repellent every month, and in areas where Lyme disease is common, dogs should be vaccinated each year.
USA TODAY
Ah, summer. Time to get out of the house and into nature. And time to start watching for the tiny deer ticks that carry Lyme disease, says medical entomologist Richard Falco of Fordham University.
June and July are the peak season for Lyme disease because ticks are in their nymphal stage and are most active. Reporter Anita Manning interviews Falco and other experts who offer basic information on Lyme disease, a potentially dangerous illness:
Q: How do people get the disease?
A: The bacterium is transmitted by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks. It is not known to pass from one person to another, from a pet to a person, through blood transfusion or by eating infected deer or squirrels.
Q: Is the disease a concern only in the summer?
A: Lyme disease is reported year-round, but the majority of cases occur in the summer. The disease has been reported in nearly every state. About 20,000 cases are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention each year, a national average of nearly seven cases per 100,000. But in the 12 states where it is most common, the average was just over 27 per 100,000.
Q: What should I do to protect myself and my family?
A: If possible, avoid woods and tall grass. If not, the CDC advises using bug repellent containing DEET and doing frequent body checks. The nymphal ticks are tiny, about the size of a poppy seed, so it's important to look carefully, particularly on legs, arms and groin.
About 70 percent of Lyme disease infections are acquired around the home. "If you live in an urban area and go to the park once a month, you're likely be more diligent," Falco says. "But if you live in an area where there are ticks and there's risk just walking to the mailbox, it's difficult to take these precautions day in and day out."
Q: What can I can do around the house and yard to get rid of ticks?
A: Ticks need high humidity to survive, so remove leaf litter, keep grass short and cut back underbrush. In regions of high infestation, such as the Northeast, "chemical control is probably the least difficult and most effective way to control ticks in the suburban environment," Falco says. Spraying an insecticide in early June and again in the fall is "optimal."
Q: What are the symptoms, and how is the disease treated?
A: Symptoms vary, but about 70 percent of people develop a circular rash at the site of the bite after three to 30 days. The rash expands over days to as large as a foot in diameter, developing a bull's-eye appearance. Patients also have chills, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and swollen lymph nodes. Prompt treatment with antibiotics resolves most cases, but some people continue to have symptoms for months or years. Untreated, it can lead to chronic illnesses, including arthritis and neurological problems.
Q: Can my pets get it?
A: Dogs are very susceptible and can pick up ticks easily because they're low to the ground and love to roll around in grasses. Ticks apparently aren't as attracted to cats, so they're less vulnerable, says veterinarian Richard Ford of the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University.
A dog carrying ticks poses a threat not only to itself but also to humans in the house. "The dog moved out of the doghouse a long time ago. People are sleeping with their pets," Ford says. Pet owners should apply topical tick repellent every month, and in areas where Lyme disease is common, dogs should be vaccinated each year.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
SASKATCHEWAN NEWS: 11,193 deer-vehicle accidents in 2005
Regina and Saskatoon drivers need to slow down and save a buck.
Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), said the highest number of vehicle-deer collisions occur near the two cities. "You can probably draw a circle 40 miles around both of those centres and that will be your highest collision area," Crabbe said Tuesday.
This is due to a combination of increased traffic and a high deer population in the two areas. Crabbe said the deer have climatized to the region and, combined with very little hunting pressure on the animals, that has resulted in an increased deer population.
Although the SWF is concerned with saving the animals from danger, the Slow Down and Save a Buck campaign is aimed at saving human lives.
"It is the human life and human injury that we are trying to eliminate," said Crabbe.
Last year three people lost their lives in collisions with deer and another 205 were injured. There was a reported 11,193 vehicle collisions with deer in 2005, up from 8,055 in 2000. SGI paid out more than $28 million in claims last year alone.
Darrell Crabbe, executive director of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), said the highest number of vehicle-deer collisions occur near the two cities. "You can probably draw a circle 40 miles around both of those centres and that will be your highest collision area," Crabbe said Tuesday.
This is due to a combination of increased traffic and a high deer population in the two areas. Crabbe said the deer have climatized to the region and, combined with very little hunting pressure on the animals, that has resulted in an increased deer population.
Although the SWF is concerned with saving the animals from danger, the Slow Down and Save a Buck campaign is aimed at saving human lives.
"It is the human life and human injury that we are trying to eliminate," said Crabbe.
Last year three people lost their lives in collisions with deer and another 205 were injured. There was a reported 11,193 vehicle collisions with deer in 2005, up from 8,055 in 2000. SGI paid out more than $28 million in claims last year alone.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
IOWA NEWS: Too many deer in Ames
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Ames homeowners said they want the City Council to allow deer hunting within the city limits. An aerial count earlier this year found large numbers of deer in residential areas. Homeowners said they are getting tired of watching the animals destroy their back yards.
Debbie Gitchell said she watched deer eat away all the shrubs and plants in her back yard. Now, she fills her flowerbeds with plants that deer won't find tempting to eat.
"One in particular is bleeding heart. It's a native woodland plant in Iowa and it's poison to the deer, so I just keep planting bleeding heart," Gitchell said.
Gitchell said deer generally find plenty to eat in a nearby park during the summer and don't venture into her neighborhood. Deer can still be spotted early in the morning or late evening hours and especially in the winter.
"I think when you first see these specimens of wildlife in your yard it's, 'Oh, is that wonderful,' but they do bring with them some definite negatives," Gitchell said.
Gitchell and other residents are recommending a bow-hunting season within the city to bring the deep population down.
She said the population has grown so large it's becoming dangerous to people in the community. "We have a few deer that had … entered into homes when they were spooked or startled and broke into deck windows, so again, that's a human health and safety issue," Lavender said.
The Ames City Council is not expected to take any action on this issue Tuesday night.
Several other Iowa communities have similar bow-hunting seasons and that's helped get the population under control.
Debbie Gitchell said she watched deer eat away all the shrubs and plants in her back yard. Now, she fills her flowerbeds with plants that deer won't find tempting to eat.
"One in particular is bleeding heart. It's a native woodland plant in Iowa and it's poison to the deer, so I just keep planting bleeding heart," Gitchell said.
Gitchell said deer generally find plenty to eat in a nearby park during the summer and don't venture into her neighborhood. Deer can still be spotted early in the morning or late evening hours and especially in the winter.
"I think when you first see these specimens of wildlife in your yard it's, 'Oh, is that wonderful,' but they do bring with them some definite negatives," Gitchell said.
Gitchell and other residents are recommending a bow-hunting season within the city to bring the deep population down.
She said the population has grown so large it's becoming dangerous to people in the community. "We have a few deer that had … entered into homes when they were spooked or startled and broke into deck windows, so again, that's a human health and safety issue," Lavender said.
The Ames City Council is not expected to take any action on this issue Tuesday night.
Several other Iowa communities have similar bow-hunting seasons and that's helped get the population under control.
Friday, June 16, 2006
MICHIGAN OPINION: Sometimes Aggressive Deer Management Necessary
Bruce Bischoff, Outdoor Columnist for the Record-Eagle (northern LP) writes:
It took exactly one night last week for the deer to discover my dad's tomato seedlings and nip them in the bud.
He didn't have his electric fence up because last year he didn't have any trouble with deer, and because local folklore insisted that there weren't any deer in our area any more after years of liberal doe permits and other DNR mismanagement.
Based on personal observations and conversations with adjoining landowners, I wasn't so sure. And sure enough, after last hunting season, the deer slowly began to come out of the woodwork — not as many, perhaps, as there were 20 years ago, but enough to continue the species.
But another species came out in even more force than whitetails over the winter: hunterrus irateus. Petitions demanding that the DNR do something to build the deer herd back up sprouted in nearly every convenience store. Sportsmen's club meetings got heated. "We want our deer back," was the angry refrain.
It's true that deer populations and harvests have been down in the northern Lower Peninsula for the last couple of years. It's a management campaign that was undertaken for several reasons — to severely cull the herd in the bovine TB-infested areas, to bring the herd more into line with the carrying capacity of the range, and to attempt to modify the extremely lopsided buck-doe ratio of years past. Others might say it was a reaction to political pressure from agricultural interests and auto insurers. Or it might be all of the above.
The DNR's first step to address bovine TB — eliminating baiting — raised a firestorm of protest from hunters and retailers throughout the north, and under heavy political pressure was scaled back to the point of being almost irrelevant.
If there's one thing I've learned from a lifetime of hunting in northern Michigan, it's that pretty much anybody with a blaze orange hat considers himself a game manager of far greater skill and insight than your average professional wildlife biologist. If there's a problem, real or perceived, they have the answer, and they're certain about it. Very certain.
I'll admit I was a bit leery of the changes several years ago, but as they took hold my hunting actually got better. I didn't see as many deer, but I saw more bucks and actually harvested a couple of decent ones. So I hunted patiently and didn't complain.
But apparently a lot of hunters are in a complaining mood now. To address the issue, the DNR is holding meetings with hunters like one scheduled at West Branch this Saturday to outline proposed reductions in doe permits.
Now, I'll admit that doe permits have gotten out of hand at times. Nobody really needs one tag per day.
But I'm not to keen on going back to the days when I would see a dozen or 15 deer every day of the season and never a single set of horns. There were simply so many does available that the bucks didn't need to move around to find them.
There's no question that does need to be managed along with bucks to maintain a healthy herd. The problem is coming to a consensus that everyone can live with.
If it were my choice, the major change I'd make to deer regulations would be the elimination of the second buck license. Hunters who know they only have one shot are going to think twice before taking a small buck. I think a lot of spikes and forks would survive the season and have a chance to grow into decent bucks in the second year.
Or how about a two-tag license, one buck and one doe, where appropriate? Or even a license like a scratch-off lottery ticket, where you might get either a buck tag or a doe tag? Indulge me; I've got a blaze orange hat, too.
For many years I thought of the balance of nature as kind of a finely tuned gyroscope just humming along with no need or intervention or correction from us puny humans. But in recent years I've become convinced that it's a lot more like a teeter-totter, with the weight of species frequently sliding from one end to the other, and we may have to apply a light, judicious hand now and then.
It took exactly one night last week for the deer to discover my dad's tomato seedlings and nip them in the bud.
He didn't have his electric fence up because last year he didn't have any trouble with deer, and because local folklore insisted that there weren't any deer in our area any more after years of liberal doe permits and other DNR mismanagement.
Based on personal observations and conversations with adjoining landowners, I wasn't so sure. And sure enough, after last hunting season, the deer slowly began to come out of the woodwork — not as many, perhaps, as there were 20 years ago, but enough to continue the species.
But another species came out in even more force than whitetails over the winter: hunterrus irateus. Petitions demanding that the DNR do something to build the deer herd back up sprouted in nearly every convenience store. Sportsmen's club meetings got heated. "We want our deer back," was the angry refrain.
It's true that deer populations and harvests have been down in the northern Lower Peninsula for the last couple of years. It's a management campaign that was undertaken for several reasons — to severely cull the herd in the bovine TB-infested areas, to bring the herd more into line with the carrying capacity of the range, and to attempt to modify the extremely lopsided buck-doe ratio of years past. Others might say it was a reaction to political pressure from agricultural interests and auto insurers. Or it might be all of the above.
The DNR's first step to address bovine TB — eliminating baiting — raised a firestorm of protest from hunters and retailers throughout the north, and under heavy political pressure was scaled back to the point of being almost irrelevant.
If there's one thing I've learned from a lifetime of hunting in northern Michigan, it's that pretty much anybody with a blaze orange hat considers himself a game manager of far greater skill and insight than your average professional wildlife biologist. If there's a problem, real or perceived, they have the answer, and they're certain about it. Very certain.
I'll admit I was a bit leery of the changes several years ago, but as they took hold my hunting actually got better. I didn't see as many deer, but I saw more bucks and actually harvested a couple of decent ones. So I hunted patiently and didn't complain.
But apparently a lot of hunters are in a complaining mood now. To address the issue, the DNR is holding meetings with hunters like one scheduled at West Branch this Saturday to outline proposed reductions in doe permits.
Now, I'll admit that doe permits have gotten out of hand at times. Nobody really needs one tag per day.
But I'm not to keen on going back to the days when I would see a dozen or 15 deer every day of the season and never a single set of horns. There were simply so many does available that the bucks didn't need to move around to find them.
There's no question that does need to be managed along with bucks to maintain a healthy herd. The problem is coming to a consensus that everyone can live with.
If it were my choice, the major change I'd make to deer regulations would be the elimination of the second buck license. Hunters who know they only have one shot are going to think twice before taking a small buck. I think a lot of spikes and forks would survive the season and have a chance to grow into decent bucks in the second year.
Or how about a two-tag license, one buck and one doe, where appropriate? Or even a license like a scratch-off lottery ticket, where you might get either a buck tag or a doe tag? Indulge me; I've got a blaze orange hat, too.
For many years I thought of the balance of nature as kind of a finely tuned gyroscope just humming along with no need or intervention or correction from us puny humans. But in recent years I've become convinced that it's a lot more like a teeter-totter, with the weight of species frequently sliding from one end to the other, and we may have to apply a light, judicious hand now and then.
Thursday, June 15, 2006
ARKANSAS NEWS; Community votes in favor of cull
Randy Kemp recently writes in The Sun Times:
It was something over a year ago that we used this space to encourage the Heber Springs city council members to consider a supervised bow hunt inside the city limits to thin the burgeoning deer population. The suggestion came after hearing lots of anecdotal stories - many of them - about the increasing nuisance: sides of cars dented in (dents that look like they should cost $100 that end up costing $2300); flowers and shrubbery eaten; fences bent and damaged...
The broken bones and totaled motorcycle which Yours Truly suffered when an errant buck collided with the motorcycle on Hwy 5 didn’t even figure into it, since that happened on a state highway six or seven miles south of town.
Obviously we at the newspaper weren’t the only ones hearing - or experiencing firsthand - these stories. The idea found favor at the coffee shops, and in water fountain conversations at local businesses, and front porch conversations around town, and equally important, down at city hall.
The mayor and council, recognizing this as a controversial subject, decided to put it to a vote, after discussing it and gathering real data from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and other sources over the period of many months. They wisely took long to debate the merits, remaining sensitive to those citizens who love to watch the local deer slipping through their back yards at dusk and again at dawn, often with spotted fawns in tow during the season for baby deer.
And those citizens, those who will still cringe at the seeming viciousness of a bow hunt this fall, had good representation on the city council. That much was evidenced during the several votes the council took as the idea advanced. Even last Thursday night, three of the eight aldermen voted against the first readings of an ordinance that would prohibit feeding of deer in the city limits. At the final reading, one changed his vote to a yes, but it was still a quarter of the council that voted their own consciences and those of a good number of their constituents with their “No” votes.
But in the end, a public vote among all the citizens of Heber Springs confirmed what we suspected and started kicking around well over a year ago - the deer represent a bigger problem than the quaintness of their presence, and pose a problem that needs to be dealt with.
The council continues to ease into the limited deer hunt with discretion, agreeing to let the Game and Fish Commission run the hunt. Those folks will do a good job overseeing the hunt, both from fairness in awarding permits, certifying safety standards for hunters, and making sure the whole thing is carried out safely.
We know of no one who takes pleasure in injuring or maiming any deer. But the statistics for such supervised bow hunts are fairly impressive. We believed, and continue to trust, that this is a partial answer to a big problem for our growing but still very rural community, where the woods grow right into many of the neighborhoods. We also applaud the city council for its decision Thursday to prohibit their feeding. Hopefully that will send some of them back to the woods and out of local flower beds and gardens and roadways.
It was something over a year ago that we used this space to encourage the Heber Springs city council members to consider a supervised bow hunt inside the city limits to thin the burgeoning deer population. The suggestion came after hearing lots of anecdotal stories - many of them - about the increasing nuisance: sides of cars dented in (dents that look like they should cost $100 that end up costing $2300); flowers and shrubbery eaten; fences bent and damaged...
The broken bones and totaled motorcycle which Yours Truly suffered when an errant buck collided with the motorcycle on Hwy 5 didn’t even figure into it, since that happened on a state highway six or seven miles south of town.
Obviously we at the newspaper weren’t the only ones hearing - or experiencing firsthand - these stories. The idea found favor at the coffee shops, and in water fountain conversations at local businesses, and front porch conversations around town, and equally important, down at city hall.
The mayor and council, recognizing this as a controversial subject, decided to put it to a vote, after discussing it and gathering real data from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and other sources over the period of many months. They wisely took long to debate the merits, remaining sensitive to those citizens who love to watch the local deer slipping through their back yards at dusk and again at dawn, often with spotted fawns in tow during the season for baby deer.
And those citizens, those who will still cringe at the seeming viciousness of a bow hunt this fall, had good representation on the city council. That much was evidenced during the several votes the council took as the idea advanced. Even last Thursday night, three of the eight aldermen voted against the first readings of an ordinance that would prohibit feeding of deer in the city limits. At the final reading, one changed his vote to a yes, but it was still a quarter of the council that voted their own consciences and those of a good number of their constituents with their “No” votes.
But in the end, a public vote among all the citizens of Heber Springs confirmed what we suspected and started kicking around well over a year ago - the deer represent a bigger problem than the quaintness of their presence, and pose a problem that needs to be dealt with.
The council continues to ease into the limited deer hunt with discretion, agreeing to let the Game and Fish Commission run the hunt. Those folks will do a good job overseeing the hunt, both from fairness in awarding permits, certifying safety standards for hunters, and making sure the whole thing is carried out safely.
We know of no one who takes pleasure in injuring or maiming any deer. But the statistics for such supervised bow hunts are fairly impressive. We believed, and continue to trust, that this is a partial answer to a big problem for our growing but still very rural community, where the woods grow right into many of the neighborhoods. We also applaud the city council for its decision Thursday to prohibit their feeding. Hopefully that will send some of them back to the woods and out of local flower beds and gardens and roadways.
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
MARYLAND NEWS: Battling Lyme in the 'Burbs
The Segal family of North Potomac once considered their expansive backyard, with its swimming pool and wooden playhouse, as a bit of paradise.
But after both Dan and Mimi Segal and three of their four children fell seriously ill due to Lyme disease caused by deer tick bites, it seems more like enemy territory.
‘‘We used to think of our backyard as another room in our house but we don’t go out there much anymore,” said Mimi Segal.
Not since 2000, when the disease known as the ‘‘great masquerader” because it mimics other disorders, began to put the family through a nightmare of symptoms.
‘‘My son Sam is 17 and should be having fun selecting the college of his choice, but he’s had to pick one based on the distance to his Lyme disease doctor,” Mimi Segal said. ‘‘Who knew sitting in your backyard could be a high risk activity?”
That’s why Mimi Segal has talked about the problem at area PTAs and civic associations since last fall. And now she and her husband are kicking off their newly named effort, ‘‘Montgomery County Tick Reduction Program,” in their own neighborhood of 18 years, Potomac Chase Estates.
Working with their HOA, they plan to install deer feeding stations filled with corn throughout the heavily wooded community of 70 homes on about 160 acres.
As deer poke their heads into the boxes to feed, rollers apply a tick-killing pesticide called ‘‘permithrin” to their necks.
‘‘It’s a very low dose, but it goes directly to the tick-infested neck and head and kills adult [tick] females,” she said.
They also want to place ‘‘tick tubes,” biodegradable toilet paper-like tubes filled with permithrin-soaked cotton, around the neighborhood. The tubes attract mice, the disease carriers responsible for infecting ticks with the bacteria.
Statewide reporting of confirmed cases showed a 39 percent increase from 2004 to 2005, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Segals believe their neighborhood is ‘‘hot spot” for the disease due to the herds of deer roaming their wooded streets.
But they agree with Rob Gibson, natural resource manager for Montgomery County, that killing off deer herds is not the answer.
‘‘Deer are probably responsible for spreading the disease into new areas, but once it’s there, the ticks can live on a variety of other hosts,” Gibson said.
But after both Dan and Mimi Segal and three of their four children fell seriously ill due to Lyme disease caused by deer tick bites, it seems more like enemy territory.
‘‘We used to think of our backyard as another room in our house but we don’t go out there much anymore,” said Mimi Segal.
Not since 2000, when the disease known as the ‘‘great masquerader” because it mimics other disorders, began to put the family through a nightmare of symptoms.
‘‘My son Sam is 17 and should be having fun selecting the college of his choice, but he’s had to pick one based on the distance to his Lyme disease doctor,” Mimi Segal said. ‘‘Who knew sitting in your backyard could be a high risk activity?”
That’s why Mimi Segal has talked about the problem at area PTAs and civic associations since last fall. And now she and her husband are kicking off their newly named effort, ‘‘Montgomery County Tick Reduction Program,” in their own neighborhood of 18 years, Potomac Chase Estates.
Working with their HOA, they plan to install deer feeding stations filled with corn throughout the heavily wooded community of 70 homes on about 160 acres.
As deer poke their heads into the boxes to feed, rollers apply a tick-killing pesticide called ‘‘permithrin” to their necks.
‘‘It’s a very low dose, but it goes directly to the tick-infested neck and head and kills adult [tick] females,” she said.
They also want to place ‘‘tick tubes,” biodegradable toilet paper-like tubes filled with permithrin-soaked cotton, around the neighborhood. The tubes attract mice, the disease carriers responsible for infecting ticks with the bacteria.
Statewide reporting of confirmed cases showed a 39 percent increase from 2004 to 2005, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The Segals believe their neighborhood is ‘‘hot spot” for the disease due to the herds of deer roaming their wooded streets.
But they agree with Rob Gibson, natural resource manager for Montgomery County, that killing off deer herds is not the answer.
‘‘Deer are probably responsible for spreading the disease into new areas, but once it’s there, the ticks can live on a variety of other hosts,” Gibson said.
Thursday, June 01, 2006
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Urban deer management plan unveiled
from PR Newswire: In achieving another objective in its deer management plan, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has finalized its urban/suburban deer management plan to more effectively manage deer in developed areas of the state. This new plan has been posted on the agency's website (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us), and can be viewed by clicking on "Deer Program" in the "Quick Clicks" box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage and then selecting "Urban/Suburban Deer Management Plan."
"Human-deer conflicts are a real, not just a perceived, problem," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "Pennsylvania primarily manages deer through hunting, but hunter success, especially in developed areas, is influenced by hunter access to land open to hunting and safety zone issues.
"The use of traditional hunting methods are always the most economical way to manage deer, and this plan employs traditional deer management techniques. However, it also offers non-traditional deer management approaches, as well as an educational program that incorporates current practices and possible solutions into an integrated, comprehensive approach to resolve urban/suburban deer problems."
Roe noted that, due to the agency's limited financial resources, it would take time to implement all the strategies in the plan.
Although white-tailed deer provide many Pennsylvanians countless hours of recreational opportunities and enjoyment, are important to the state's economy, and are officially recognized as the Commonwealth's "state animal," Roe noted that they can wear out their welcome quickly when they begin stripping vegetation in yards and become obstacles on city and suburban streets.
The plan outlines four main goals: reduce deer impacts in developed areas using hunting options; reduce deer-human conflicts using non-hunting options where hunting options are shown to not be feasible or sufficient; inform urban leadership, residents, and hunters about deer management options and opportunities in developed areas; and encourage positive relationships between hunters and communities in developed areas.
"Human-deer conflicts are a real, not just a perceived, problem," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "Pennsylvania primarily manages deer through hunting, but hunter success, especially in developed areas, is influenced by hunter access to land open to hunting and safety zone issues.
"The use of traditional hunting methods are always the most economical way to manage deer, and this plan employs traditional deer management techniques. However, it also offers non-traditional deer management approaches, as well as an educational program that incorporates current practices and possible solutions into an integrated, comprehensive approach to resolve urban/suburban deer problems."
Roe noted that, due to the agency's limited financial resources, it would take time to implement all the strategies in the plan.
Although white-tailed deer provide many Pennsylvanians countless hours of recreational opportunities and enjoyment, are important to the state's economy, and are officially recognized as the Commonwealth's "state animal," Roe noted that they can wear out their welcome quickly when they begin stripping vegetation in yards and become obstacles on city and suburban streets.
The plan outlines four main goals: reduce deer impacts in developed areas using hunting options; reduce deer-human conflicts using non-hunting options where hunting options are shown to not be feasible or sufficient; inform urban leadership, residents, and hunters about deer management options and opportunities in developed areas; and encourage positive relationships between hunters and communities in developed areas.
IOWA NEWS: Confirmed cougar kill of deer
DES MOINES, Iowa A mountain lion is back in Iowa.
State biologists have confirmed a mountain lion killed a deer in Marshall County. It's the first sign of a big cat in Iowa since October 2004.
The deer was found on Tuesday near Bangor. Rick Trine of the Iowa Department of Natural Resource says the deer had claw marks on its hind quarters and neck, and puncture wounds to the neck and head.
Trine says the deer only had three legs -- from an old injury -- and it was probably easy prey.
According to the DNR, there have been two mountain lions shot, one killed on the road, one photographed in the same general area as the Marshall County cat, and six confirmed tracks.
State biologists have confirmed a mountain lion killed a deer in Marshall County. It's the first sign of a big cat in Iowa since October 2004.
The deer was found on Tuesday near Bangor. Rick Trine of the Iowa Department of Natural Resource says the deer had claw marks on its hind quarters and neck, and puncture wounds to the neck and head.
Trine says the deer only had three legs -- from an old injury -- and it was probably easy prey.
According to the DNR, there have been two mountain lions shot, one killed on the road, one photographed in the same general area as the Marshall County cat, and six confirmed tracks.
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