When it comes to controlling the damage caused by deer in suburban areas, controlled hunts have proven to be one of the most effective ways of restoring the ecological balance to the region's forests, according to wildlife officials.
Last week, federal, state and county officials, along with a host of university researchers, gathered for the annual Northeast Fish & Wildlife Conference in Lancaster, Pa.
While the two-day conference dealt with a multitude of problems , from the mystery fungus killing bats throughout the northeast to grassland restoration to aid the Regal Fritillary butterfly, there were several presentations dealing with the region's deer problems.
It was 15 years ago that Union County became the first county in the state to apply for a special permit to allow for the culling of the deer herd in the Watchung Reservation. With no natural predators, the growing number of deer were devouring the understory, the smaller shrubs and plants that provide shelter and food for smaller species.
Since that first Watchung hunt, similar approaches have been adopted by communities and counties across the state, with the South Mountain Reservation in neighboring Essex County one of the latest to bring in marksmen to reduce the deer herd. In recent years, Summit and Scotch Plains have also had cullings.
In 1994, the first year of the hunt in the Watchung Reservation, counts indicated a population of at least 96 deer per square mile, more than triple the amount the 2,065-acre preserve could sustain, said Daniel Bernier, who heads the county's Division of Park Planning and Environmental Services. Bernier, together with Susan Predl, a biologist with the N.J. Bureau of Wildlife Management, outlined the progress of the hunt at the Lancaster conference.
Bernier said that by the 1980s, it was clear that the growing deer herd was taking its toll on the reservation. Residents from the five communities surrounding the reservation were becoming increasingly frustrated by the mounting destruction to their residential landscaping, along with concerns for Lyme disease.
Since the culling began, 1,289 deer have been removed, which has enabled the forest floor to begin to rejuvenate, Bernier said.
"We're seeing plants return that we haven't seen in quite awhile--but it's slow," he said.
The hunt provides anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of venison annually for the needy, with the hunters allowed to keep 20 pounds for themselves. The cost of the hunt has also been dramatically reduced, from $55,000 in the first year, to a cost now of $3,000. The number of marksmen has also been trimmed from over 90 to now about 11 in the woods at any one time.
Bernier told wildlife officials that the hunt is conducted under strict rules that hold all participants to a high degree of accountability. "We account for every shot, every hit, every miss," he said.
Predl said that every deer that is taken is examined, with data recorded for continual review.
While the argument has been made that hunts cause deer populations to increase because the surviving deer have less competition, Predl said an analysis of the Watchung data shows that is not the case.
Without a deer hunt, even conservative projections indicate the reservation would now be home to nearly 1,400 deer, Predl said. The most recent count determined that there are now about 77 deer in the reservation.
Also discussing the region's deer problems was Dr. Gino D'Angelo, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's wildlife services branch. D'Angelo oversaw a deer hunt in a section of Bucks County, Pa., just across the Delaware River northwest of Lambertville.
When deer grow overabundant, the entire ecosystem suffers, including the deer, he said, stressing there was no quick fix.
"It's no longer once and (we're) done," D'Angelo said. When the herds are left unchecked, "they're like a time bomb," he said.
The Bucks County hunts have led to a 15 percent reduction in deer-motor vehicle collisions and an increase in production at area farms by 18 percent, he said. Complaints from residents have dropped and the area's forests are showing signs of regeneration.
The recent protests by neighboring Essex County residents over the deer culling in the South Mountain Reservation was reminiscent of what Union County experienced when the Watchung hunts began, said County Manager George Devanney. But given the damage the deer were causing, residents came to accept the necessity of the hunt, he said.
"The county understands the emotional aspects of the deer culling," Devanney said. "But we have thrown the reservation's ecosystem out of balance and unless we reintroduce the deer's natural predators, like wolves, there is no other way to keep the deer population in check--and I don't think anyone is suggesting we do that."
New Jersey's deer population hit an all-time high in the mid-to-late '90s, said Carol Kandoth, who heads the state Department of Environmental Protection's Deer Project.
"Hunting is the most cost-effective and efficient method of control for any species," Kandoth said. "We had trap and transfer, but there is no place within the state to move them and most other states don't want them. And when you do move them, a third die anyway."
The original predators of deer were mountain lions and wolves and both species were eradicated several hundred years ago. In California, where they have allowed the cougar to remain, people have been killed and mauled, she said.
"When you inhabit the space that an animal normally inhabits, then you are responsible for managing the space that animal inhabits," Kandoth said.
Source: NJ.com
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Monday, May 04, 2009
OHIO NEWS: Another Municipality Considers Deer Hunt
Officials are considering allowing bow hunters to thin the growing deer population inside the city limits.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates there are more than 1,000 deer living in the city of Heath, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.
Over the past three years, 170 collisions between automobiles and deer have occurred in Heath.
One of those collisions involved Mayor Richard Waugh. The collision caused $3,000 damage to Waugh's SUV.
Waugh said reducing the deer population is a matter of public safety.
"We do not want injured deer running through the city," Waugh told 10TV News. "We do not want injured deer running through our neighborhoods."
In 2007, the city allowed bow hunters to kill deer near the airport after fears a plane would crash into one of the animals.
Some residents are concerned about hunting taking place in their neighborhoods.
"I don't want them hunting near public access areas or roadways," said Keary Oflaherty, who blames deer for destroying fruit trees on his property.
Keary agrees the city needs to do something about the deer population, just not near his home.
"Yes, they need to be thinned, but bow hunters don't need to be traipsing through here all the time," Keary told 10TV News.
Source: 10TV News
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimates there are more than 1,000 deer living in the city of Heath, 10TV's Kevin Landers reported.
Over the past three years, 170 collisions between automobiles and deer have occurred in Heath.
One of those collisions involved Mayor Richard Waugh. The collision caused $3,000 damage to Waugh's SUV.
Waugh said reducing the deer population is a matter of public safety.
"We do not want injured deer running through the city," Waugh told 10TV News. "We do not want injured deer running through our neighborhoods."
In 2007, the city allowed bow hunters to kill deer near the airport after fears a plane would crash into one of the animals.
Some residents are concerned about hunting taking place in their neighborhoods.
"I don't want them hunting near public access areas or roadways," said Keary Oflaherty, who blames deer for destroying fruit trees on his property.
Keary agrees the city needs to do something about the deer population, just not near his home.
"Yes, they need to be thinned, but bow hunters don't need to be traipsing through here all the time," Keary told 10TV News.
Source: 10TV News
Thursday, April 30, 2009
WISCONSIN OPINION: Perils of Suspending Earn-A-Buck
Another great column by Pat Durkin. Money quote: "When fishing, we don’t anchor in the same place daily and demand the DNR put walleyes or bluegills under our boats."
Many smart, concerned deer hunters are pleased the Department of Natural Resources suspended Earn-a-Buck rules for two-thirds of Wisconsin, but the DNR can’t expect them to suggest new ways to control deer where they exceed herd goals.
The trouble is, many hunters don’t want to control deer numbers. They want to raise the goals to match the herd’s current size, even though herds in half the state are at least 40 percent higher than goals set in state codes.
Let’s remember these goals aren’t designed to equal last year’s kill or previous record kills. They’re based on biological and sociological factors discussed in public forums, and approved by citizens in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.
If DNR biologists have any professional integrity, they won’t raise the goals to achieve temporary peace. Besides, let’s not forget that herds in roughly 25 percent of the state were below goal last fall, yet we killed 453,480 deer.
Yep, even when handicapping one-fourth of Wisconsin, we killed 0.453 million deer. We must have had lots of deer somewhere, huh? Not only was that the No. 10 kill in state history, it ranks No. 33 in our nation’s history, according to the “2009 Deer Hunters’ Almanac.”
Of the five states on that list, Wisconsin has 10 kills exceeding 453,000 (all since 1995); Michigan, eight; Texas, eight; Pennsylvania, 4; and Alabama, three. Further, only Wisconsin requires hunters to register their kills. The others estimated their kills with surveys, voluntary registration and check-point data.
And yet the Democrat-controlled Legislature held three hearings to force the DNR to abandon its legislative mandate to manage herds in accordance with state code. If legislators have a better system than earn-a-buck, which requires hunters to first shoot a doe or fawn before targeting bucks, let’s hear it.
The fact is, many people don’t like EAB because it works. It shoves the herd closer to state-mandated goals, and it’s only used when lesser efforts fail. By attacking EAB, they ignore bigger problems facing the herd.
Meanwhile, legislators covered for the Conservation Congress, which demands the DNR improve its deer estimates while refusing aid. For instance, a 2006 audit suggested the DNR could improve the estimates by consolidating many of its 130 deer management units and conducting radio-telemetry studies.
Congress Chairman Ed Harvey dismissed the idea. Writing in the August 2008 “Conservation Chronicle,” he said, “We need to be careful about how far we’re willing to go for the sake of more accurate average deer density numbers.”
What about radio-telemetry? At the Congress’s annual hearings in April 2008, voters rejected a $1 deer stamp to fund those studies, 4,097-1,433. End of discussion.
Lawmakers also haven’t focused on areas with deer shortages, maybe because EAB wasn’t used there in 2007 or 2008. Nor did they suggest the DNR assess deer habitat by region, and consider how its declining quality affects predation and winter losses.
That’s puzzling because habitat conservation is the mission driving Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Ruffed Grouse Society and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Why emphasize habitat for all those critters and ignore it for deer?
Think about it. When fishing, we don’t anchor in the same place daily and demand the DNR put walleyes or bluegills under our boats. Yet many folks sit in heated towers, watch woodlots mature into pole timber with no underbrush, and blame the DNR when deer find better turf.
And consider Lake Michigan: When its forage base shrank and salmon grew lean, the DNR stocked fewer fish. Yet when weak or injured deer died in central Wisconsin the past two winters when heavy snows put farmers’ plants and spillage out of reach, few blamed the deaths on overbrowsed woodlots. No, they demand the DNR increase deer goals, even though it would further damage habitat and endanger more deer.
If we truly wish our children to enjoy deer hunting far into the future -- a plea we invoke often – we would deem quality habitat as vital to whitetails as clean water is to walleyes.
The Department of Natural Resources has suspended its Earn-A-Buck program and hopes hunters will suggest new ways to control deer when their numbers remain above goals set in state code.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Many smart, concerned deer hunters are pleased the Department of Natural Resources suspended Earn-a-Buck rules for two-thirds of Wisconsin, but the DNR can’t expect them to suggest new ways to control deer where they exceed herd goals.
The trouble is, many hunters don’t want to control deer numbers. They want to raise the goals to match the herd’s current size, even though herds in half the state are at least 40 percent higher than goals set in state codes.
Let’s remember these goals aren’t designed to equal last year’s kill or previous record kills. They’re based on biological and sociological factors discussed in public forums, and approved by citizens in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress.
If DNR biologists have any professional integrity, they won’t raise the goals to achieve temporary peace. Besides, let’s not forget that herds in roughly 25 percent of the state were below goal last fall, yet we killed 453,480 deer.
Yep, even when handicapping one-fourth of Wisconsin, we killed 0.453 million deer. We must have had lots of deer somewhere, huh? Not only was that the No. 10 kill in state history, it ranks No. 33 in our nation’s history, according to the “2009 Deer Hunters’ Almanac.”
Of the five states on that list, Wisconsin has 10 kills exceeding 453,000 (all since 1995); Michigan, eight; Texas, eight; Pennsylvania, 4; and Alabama, three. Further, only Wisconsin requires hunters to register their kills. The others estimated their kills with surveys, voluntary registration and check-point data.
And yet the Democrat-controlled Legislature held three hearings to force the DNR to abandon its legislative mandate to manage herds in accordance with state code. If legislators have a better system than earn-a-buck, which requires hunters to first shoot a doe or fawn before targeting bucks, let’s hear it.
The fact is, many people don’t like EAB because it works. It shoves the herd closer to state-mandated goals, and it’s only used when lesser efforts fail. By attacking EAB, they ignore bigger problems facing the herd.
Meanwhile, legislators covered for the Conservation Congress, which demands the DNR improve its deer estimates while refusing aid. For instance, a 2006 audit suggested the DNR could improve the estimates by consolidating many of its 130 deer management units and conducting radio-telemetry studies.
Congress Chairman Ed Harvey dismissed the idea. Writing in the August 2008 “Conservation Chronicle,” he said, “We need to be careful about how far we’re willing to go for the sake of more accurate average deer density numbers.”
What about radio-telemetry? At the Congress’s annual hearings in April 2008, voters rejected a $1 deer stamp to fund those studies, 4,097-1,433. End of discussion.
Lawmakers also haven’t focused on areas with deer shortages, maybe because EAB wasn’t used there in 2007 or 2008. Nor did they suggest the DNR assess deer habitat by region, and consider how its declining quality affects predation and winter losses.
That’s puzzling because habitat conservation is the mission driving Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, Ruffed Grouse Society and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Why emphasize habitat for all those critters and ignore it for deer?
Think about it. When fishing, we don’t anchor in the same place daily and demand the DNR put walleyes or bluegills under our boats. Yet many folks sit in heated towers, watch woodlots mature into pole timber with no underbrush, and blame the DNR when deer find better turf.
And consider Lake Michigan: When its forage base shrank and salmon grew lean, the DNR stocked fewer fish. Yet when weak or injured deer died in central Wisconsin the past two winters when heavy snows put farmers’ plants and spillage out of reach, few blamed the deaths on overbrowsed woodlots. No, they demand the DNR increase deer goals, even though it would further damage habitat and endanger more deer.
If we truly wish our children to enjoy deer hunting far into the future -- a plea we invoke often – we would deem quality habitat as vital to whitetails as clean water is to walleyes.
The Department of Natural Resources has suspended its Earn-A-Buck program and hopes hunters will suggest new ways to control deer when their numbers remain above goals set in state code.
Source: Wisconsin State Journal
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Deer Ticks in Range Expansion
Wisconsin deer ticks - the type known for carrying Lyme disease - are widely associated with the Northwoods. But now, they occupy a much larger territory.
In 1994, a deer tick "census" led by Dr. Susan Paskewitz, a UW-Madison Entomologist who specializes in mosquitoes and ticks, revealed the ticks had become established in the western two-thirds of the state. Since then, reports of Lyme disease and new infestations led Paskewitz to suspect that they had become prevalent throughout Wisconsin.
Last fall, Dr. Paskewitz conducted another census, and the results confirmed her suspicions. Dr. Paskewitz found that most places in Wisconsin are infested. The only area where ticks are not prevalent is in the southeast corner of the state near Bong Recreational Area.
The Wisconsin Division of Health and local health departments will now spend more time informing the public, with particular attention given to the state's doctors. They can often cure Lyme disease outright if it's caught during the first month after a bite. "But if the physician isn't aware that there are deer ticks in their area," says Paskewitz, "they may not look into that diagnosis very carefully."
Dr. Paskewitz also found deer ticks are appearing in heavily populated areas, including Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton and Oshkosh. Paskewitz predicts there will be an increase in bites among people who live in the cities, especially if they frequent natural areas just outside city limits. Homeowners whose properties are adjacent to natural spaces should also be aware of the risk.
She doesn't recommend curtailing outdoor activities. Instead, check yourself and your kids for ticks and seek treatment if you develop a bull's-eye shaped rash, or experience a rash of flu-like symptoms during the summer.
Source: wkowtv
In 1994, a deer tick "census" led by Dr. Susan Paskewitz, a UW-Madison Entomologist who specializes in mosquitoes and ticks, revealed the ticks had become established in the western two-thirds of the state. Since then, reports of Lyme disease and new infestations led Paskewitz to suspect that they had become prevalent throughout Wisconsin.
Last fall, Dr. Paskewitz conducted another census, and the results confirmed her suspicions. Dr. Paskewitz found that most places in Wisconsin are infested. The only area where ticks are not prevalent is in the southeast corner of the state near Bong Recreational Area.
The Wisconsin Division of Health and local health departments will now spend more time informing the public, with particular attention given to the state's doctors. They can often cure Lyme disease outright if it's caught during the first month after a bite. "But if the physician isn't aware that there are deer ticks in their area," says Paskewitz, "they may not look into that diagnosis very carefully."
Dr. Paskewitz also found deer ticks are appearing in heavily populated areas, including Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton and Oshkosh. Paskewitz predicts there will be an increase in bites among people who live in the cities, especially if they frequent natural areas just outside city limits. Homeowners whose properties are adjacent to natural spaces should also be aware of the risk.
She doesn't recommend curtailing outdoor activities. Instead, check yourself and your kids for ticks and seek treatment if you develop a bull's-eye shaped rash, or experience a rash of flu-like symptoms during the summer.
Source: wkowtv
Monday, April 27, 2009
RESEARCH NEWS: Climate Change Benefits Deer Ticks, Lyme Disease Projected to Get Worse
In a finding that suggests how global warming could impact infectious disease, scientists from Yale University, in collaboration with other institutions, have determined that climate impacts the severity of Lyme Disease by influencing the feeding patterns of deer ticks that carry and transmit it.
Deer ticks live for two years and have three stages of life – larval, nymphal and adult. They obtain one blood meal during each stage in order to survive. If the source of the first meal (a mouse, bird or other small animal) is infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease, the tick also becomes infected and passes it on to its next meal source – be it wildlife or human – in its second life stage as a nymph.
But, as the Yale team demonstrates, it’s the seasonal cycle of feeding for each stage of the tick’s life that determines the severity of infection in a given region. The researchers found that this cycle is heavily influenced by climate. In the moderate climate of the Northeastern United States, larval deer ticks feed in the late summer, long after the spring feeding of infected nymphs. This long gap between feeding times directly correlates to more cases of Lyme Disease reported in the Northeast, say the scientists.
“When there is a longer gap, the most persistent infections are more likely to survive,” explains Durland Fish, Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and corresponding author of the study. “These persistent bacterial strains cause more severe disease in humans, leading more people to seek medical attention and resulting in more case reports.”
But in the Midwest, where there are greater extremes of temperature, there is a shorter window of opportunity for tick feeding, and therefore a shorter gap between nymphal and larval feedings. Because of this, report the scientists, Midwestern wildlife and ticks are infected with less persistent strains, which correlates with fewer cases of Lyme Disease reported in the Midwest.
The clear implication of this research, say the researchers, is that, as the planet warms, the Upper Midwest could find itself in the same situation as the Northeast: longer gaps between nymphal and larval feeding, and therefore, stronger, more persistent strains of Lyme Disease.
“Other diseases, such as malaria, have been projected to expand in response to climate change,” explains project leader Maria Diuk-Wasser, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and senior author, “But this is the first study to show how the severity of disease can also be related to climate.”
Source: ScienceDaily
Deer ticks live for two years and have three stages of life – larval, nymphal and adult. They obtain one blood meal during each stage in order to survive. If the source of the first meal (a mouse, bird or other small animal) is infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease, the tick also becomes infected and passes it on to its next meal source – be it wildlife or human – in its second life stage as a nymph.
But, as the Yale team demonstrates, it’s the seasonal cycle of feeding for each stage of the tick’s life that determines the severity of infection in a given region. The researchers found that this cycle is heavily influenced by climate. In the moderate climate of the Northeastern United States, larval deer ticks feed in the late summer, long after the spring feeding of infected nymphs. This long gap between feeding times directly correlates to more cases of Lyme Disease reported in the Northeast, say the scientists.
“When there is a longer gap, the most persistent infections are more likely to survive,” explains Durland Fish, Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and corresponding author of the study. “These persistent bacterial strains cause more severe disease in humans, leading more people to seek medical attention and resulting in more case reports.”
But in the Midwest, where there are greater extremes of temperature, there is a shorter window of opportunity for tick feeding, and therefore a shorter gap between nymphal and larval feedings. Because of this, report the scientists, Midwestern wildlife and ticks are infected with less persistent strains, which correlates with fewer cases of Lyme Disease reported in the Midwest.
The clear implication of this research, say the researchers, is that, as the planet warms, the Upper Midwest could find itself in the same situation as the Northeast: longer gaps between nymphal and larval feeding, and therefore, stronger, more persistent strains of Lyme Disease.
“Other diseases, such as malaria, have been projected to expand in response to climate change,” explains project leader Maria Diuk-Wasser, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health and senior author, “But this is the first study to show how the severity of disease can also be related to climate.”
Source: ScienceDaily
Friday, April 17, 2009
NEW HAMPSHIRE NEWS: Lyme Disease Cases Rise 80%
Areas of the Seacoast continue to have the highest number of Lyme disease cases in the state, recent data shows, and health officials are warning people to use caution as the warm weather starts to draw out ticks.
There were 1,590 reported cases of Lyme disease statewide in 2008 — an 80 percent increase from 2007 and a 600 percent increase from 2004, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
The highest number of cases was in Rockingham County, with 653 reported in 2008 — a 70 percent increase over the previous year. Hillsborough County and Strafford County had the second- and third-highest concentration of cases, respectively.
Across the border in Maine, southern York County has had the highest concentration of Lyme disease cases in the state in the last few years, said state Epidemiologist Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer.
A recent change to the government's definition of Lyme disease, making it more inclusive, is partly responsible for the increases, according to New Hampshire Public Health Director Jose Montero.
Suburban sprawl and people spending more time outdoors could also be factors, he said.
Gensheimer added that increased deer populations may also be responsible seeing how ticks feed off deer along with mice, birds, opossums, raccoons, dogs, cats, livestock and humans.
A New Hampshire DHHS survey last year found more than half the ticks in Rockingham and Strafford counties had Lyme disease. Results of a similar study will be released in the coming weeks, Montero said.
"We want people to know this disease can be serious, but can be preventable by avoiding being bitten," he said.
The greatest risk for Lyme disease is between May and August, when the black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, is in the juvenile stage. The insect is the size of a poppy seed and very difficult to detect. Individuals are often unaware they have been bitten.
Source: Fosters Daily
There were 1,590 reported cases of Lyme disease statewide in 2008 — an 80 percent increase from 2007 and a 600 percent increase from 2004, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
The highest number of cases was in Rockingham County, with 653 reported in 2008 — a 70 percent increase over the previous year. Hillsborough County and Strafford County had the second- and third-highest concentration of cases, respectively.
Across the border in Maine, southern York County has had the highest concentration of Lyme disease cases in the state in the last few years, said state Epidemiologist Dr. Kathleen Gensheimer.
A recent change to the government's definition of Lyme disease, making it more inclusive, is partly responsible for the increases, according to New Hampshire Public Health Director Jose Montero.
Suburban sprawl and people spending more time outdoors could also be factors, he said.
Gensheimer added that increased deer populations may also be responsible seeing how ticks feed off deer along with mice, birds, opossums, raccoons, dogs, cats, livestock and humans.
A New Hampshire DHHS survey last year found more than half the ticks in Rockingham and Strafford counties had Lyme disease. Results of a similar study will be released in the coming weeks, Montero said.
"We want people to know this disease can be serious, but can be preventable by avoiding being bitten," he said.
The greatest risk for Lyme disease is between May and August, when the black-legged tick, also known as a deer tick, is in the juvenile stage. The insect is the size of a poppy seed and very difficult to detect. Individuals are often unaware they have been bitten.
Source: Fosters Daily
SOUTH DAKOTA NEWS: Jury Still Out On Effectiveness of Reflectors
An experiment to reduce the number of deer-vehicle collisions along Interstate 90 near Mitchell is now in its second year, but officials involved with the project say they have yet to see a major change in the number of accidents.
“It’s still kind of inconclusive yet as far as whether it’s a real benefit,” said Jeff Gustafson, the Mitchell region operations engineer for the South Dakota Department of Transportation. “Hopefully, the benefit will pay off in the long run.”
In September 2007, long lines of reflectors were placed along three stretches of I-90, including two segments near Mitchell and Mount Vernon and another near Sioux Falls.
The devices are manufactured to reflect light from a vehicle’s headlights into the eyes of a deer and discourage the animal from attempting to cross a road. Gustafson said the three areas in eastern South Dakota were selected for the project because of their high rate of deer-vehicle collisions.
After purchasing and installing the reflectors, the DOT released an analysis on the reflectors’ effectiveness a year later. While the study did show that reported deer-vehicle collisions in the three areas were down from 49 between October 2006 and September 2007 to 37 a year later, the number of dead deer removed from the areas rose, from 154 to 161.
The report said the reduction in reported accidents meant a return on an initial investment of $88,751, but Gustafson said the results aren’t enough to proclaim the program a success.
“We will ... keep analyzing the data, but we will probably not be putting any new ones up in any new locations until we verify that this is a good program or worth (the) money,” Gustafson said.
Art Smith, wildlife damage management program administrator for the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks, said he personally doesn’t believe the reflectors have been successful.
With no official scientific control – an area with similar conditions that does not have reflectors, for example – Smith said it’s difficult to determine what kind of difference, if any, the reflectors are making.
Smith said the reflectors have three inherent problems:
– They’re difficult to keep clean and at a proper angle;
– there’s no proof that light deters animal movements;
– and the idea that reflectors can affect animal behavior is, according to Smith, an “iffy proposition at best.”
Instead of the reflectors, Smith said he’d like to see a system that uses a roadside beam that, when broken, would set off a flashing yellow light to alert the driver.
“I am more inclined to believe that we have a better chance at affecting driver behavior rather than wild animal behavior,” Smith said. “We’ll never eliminate (accidents), but maybe we can reduce them”
Both Smith and Gustafson admit there’s no money in the budget for such a device right now. In the meantime, they intend to keep an eye on future results and hope scientific evidence will give an accurate reading on the reflectors’ effects.
“Hopefully, the benefit will pay off in the long run,” Gustafson said.
Source: Argus Leader
“It’s still kind of inconclusive yet as far as whether it’s a real benefit,” said Jeff Gustafson, the Mitchell region operations engineer for the South Dakota Department of Transportation. “Hopefully, the benefit will pay off in the long run.”
In September 2007, long lines of reflectors were placed along three stretches of I-90, including two segments near Mitchell and Mount Vernon and another near Sioux Falls.
The devices are manufactured to reflect light from a vehicle’s headlights into the eyes of a deer and discourage the animal from attempting to cross a road. Gustafson said the three areas in eastern South Dakota were selected for the project because of their high rate of deer-vehicle collisions.
After purchasing and installing the reflectors, the DOT released an analysis on the reflectors’ effectiveness a year later. While the study did show that reported deer-vehicle collisions in the three areas were down from 49 between October 2006 and September 2007 to 37 a year later, the number of dead deer removed from the areas rose, from 154 to 161.
The report said the reduction in reported accidents meant a return on an initial investment of $88,751, but Gustafson said the results aren’t enough to proclaim the program a success.
“We will ... keep analyzing the data, but we will probably not be putting any new ones up in any new locations until we verify that this is a good program or worth (the) money,” Gustafson said.
Art Smith, wildlife damage management program administrator for the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks, said he personally doesn’t believe the reflectors have been successful.
With no official scientific control – an area with similar conditions that does not have reflectors, for example – Smith said it’s difficult to determine what kind of difference, if any, the reflectors are making.
Smith said the reflectors have three inherent problems:
– They’re difficult to keep clean and at a proper angle;
– there’s no proof that light deters animal movements;
– and the idea that reflectors can affect animal behavior is, according to Smith, an “iffy proposition at best.”
Instead of the reflectors, Smith said he’d like to see a system that uses a roadside beam that, when broken, would set off a flashing yellow light to alert the driver.
“I am more inclined to believe that we have a better chance at affecting driver behavior rather than wild animal behavior,” Smith said. “We’ll never eliminate (accidents), but maybe we can reduce them”
Both Smith and Gustafson admit there’s no money in the budget for such a device right now. In the meantime, they intend to keep an eye on future results and hope scientific evidence will give an accurate reading on the reflectors’ effects.
“Hopefully, the benefit will pay off in the long run,” Gustafson said.
Source: Argus Leader
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
GUAM NEWS: Special Hunt to Combat Overabundant Deer
I had no idea there were deer in Guam. Shows what I know...
The Department of Agriculture is offering a special unlimited deal for deer hunters starting tomorrow, April 15.
The agency notes this year's seasonal hunting of local deer can only take place on Government of Guam property or private property with the owner's permission. Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources Biologist Jeff Quitugua says they have opened up the unlimited either-sex deer hunt because the agency is trying to control the deer and feral pig population. So far, he mentions that the animals have been destroying natural habitats that are supposed to regenerate indigenous plants and vegetation.
No exact data has been released on the current population of these local animals. In the meantime, Quitugua also says hunting licenses and deer tags are required to participate in this hunting season. Anyone interested is asked to contact the Department of Agriculture. Again, the unlimited deer hunt starts tomorrow, April 15 and ends September 30.
Source: Pacific News Center
The Department of Agriculture is offering a special unlimited deal for deer hunters starting tomorrow, April 15.
The agency notes this year's seasonal hunting of local deer can only take place on Government of Guam property or private property with the owner's permission. Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources Biologist Jeff Quitugua says they have opened up the unlimited either-sex deer hunt because the agency is trying to control the deer and feral pig population. So far, he mentions that the animals have been destroying natural habitats that are supposed to regenerate indigenous plants and vegetation.
No exact data has been released on the current population of these local animals. In the meantime, Quitugua also says hunting licenses and deer tags are required to participate in this hunting season. Anyone interested is asked to contact the Department of Agriculture. Again, the unlimited deer hunt starts tomorrow, April 15 and ends September 30.
Source: Pacific News Center
Monday, April 13, 2009
NEBRASKA NEWS: TB Found in Captive Elk / Fallow Deer Herd
According to Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Hughes, NDA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinarians have discovered a herd of captive elk and fallow deer in the Knox County area that have tested positive for Tuberculosis (TB). NDA has authority over captive cervid herds in the state.
According to Dr. Hughes, NDA and USDA are currently in the process of working with the producer who has been cooperating with the two agencies. The herd, which is currently under quarantine, is eligible for depopulation and indemnification in accordance with USDA guidelines.
"The area where these animals are kept is fairly remote and there is no direct contact with any livestock," said Dr. Hughes. "NDA is coordinating with the Nebraska Game and Parks authorities on the situation, and they will be taking appropriate next steps regarding the wild cervid population in the area."
TB is a slow, progressive disease and is difficult to diagnose in the early stages; however, as the disease progresses animals can exhibit emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade fever and pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough.
Source: Nebraska Dept. Agriculture
According to Dr. Hughes, NDA and USDA are currently in the process of working with the producer who has been cooperating with the two agencies. The herd, which is currently under quarantine, is eligible for depopulation and indemnification in accordance with USDA guidelines.
"The area where these animals are kept is fairly remote and there is no direct contact with any livestock," said Dr. Hughes. "NDA is coordinating with the Nebraska Game and Parks authorities on the situation, and they will be taking appropriate next steps regarding the wild cervid population in the area."
TB is a slow, progressive disease and is difficult to diagnose in the early stages; however, as the disease progresses animals can exhibit emaciation, lethargy, weakness, anorexia, low-grade fever and pneumonia with a chronic, moist cough.
Source: Nebraska Dept. Agriculture
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
MARYLAND/DC/VIRGINIA NEWS: Lyme Disease On Rise
A story in today's Washington Post highlights a rather alarming rise in confirmed Lyme Disease cases. Between 2005 and 2007:
The number of cases in Washington DC rose from 10 to 116.
The number of cases in Virginia rose from 274 to 959.
The number of cases in Maryland rose from 1235 to 2576.
Source: Washington Post
The number of cases in Washington DC rose from 10 to 116.
The number of cases in Virginia rose from 274 to 959.
The number of cases in Maryland rose from 1235 to 2576.
"The adult ticks prefer to feed on deer, which are immune to the disease," Mead said. "Deer are the adult mating bars for black-legged ticks. That's where they like to meet their mates, and then they drop off to lay their eggs."
The spread of infected ticks in the Washington region has been dramatic as more farmland has been developed and deer have become ever more common roaming through back yards and parks.
Source: Washington Post
Monday, March 30, 2009
VIRGINIA NEWS: Wytheville Struggles with Deer Population
Wytheville’s deer population has been reduced since mid-February. It is expected to decline even more by the end of March.
According to Col. Harry Ayers of the Wytheville Police Department, approximately 46 deer have been shot and killed within the town limits since the town obtained a special permit from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. State authorization began in mid-February and continues through March 31.
Complaints from Wytheville residents about problems caused by the increasing deer population prompted Wytheville Town Council to take action last summer. Citizens reported giving up their gardens because of crop damage by deer and others complained about deer damage to their flowers and trees.
Council authorized the town’s director of public safety Albert Newberry to obtain a state permit to kill the deer.
Newberry coordinated the effort with the town’s animal control officer Bill Scott. Scott is being accompanied by a town policeman or a paid town fireman on the evening hunts across Wytheville.
Under the cover of night and armed with a silencer-equipped rifle, Scott stakes out areas of town where there is a large deer population. He takes his shots and moves to another location.
“Even with a silencer,” Col. Ayers noted, “when you shoot one deer the shot scares the others off. That’s why you have to move on to another spot.”
The dead deer, Ayers said, are picked up where they’re killed. The carcasses are taken to the Wythe-Bland Joint Public Service Authority’s transfer station, the colonel stated.
A spokesman for the transfer station confirmed the deer carcasses are put in the trailer with the rest of the trash. She said they are taken to Johnson City, Tenn., for burial.
“We were going to give the meat to the Hunters for the Hungry,” Col. Ayers said, “but the cost of field dressing the deer and hauling it made it impossible for us to do.”
According to Col. Ayers, there have been a few complaints about shooting the deer. The harvest, he said, is being conducted late at night and as far away from homes as possible.
“We’ve had one or two complaints,” he said.
While Ayers said the deer harvesting has eased problems somewhat, he expects another permit will be needed. Ayers pointed out February and March are best times to eliminate the deer.
“Getting rid of the deer is not going to happen in one year,” he said. “Deer continues to be a problem. We’ve lost two police cars to deer and we averaged three deer-related accidents a week for awhile earlier this year.”
Ayers blames the increased deer population on the lack of hunters, more posted land and no natural predators of deer. He also noted Wytheville is surrounded by mountains with the deer roaming into various subdivisions looking for food.
Source: WSLS10
According to Col. Harry Ayers of the Wytheville Police Department, approximately 46 deer have been shot and killed within the town limits since the town obtained a special permit from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. State authorization began in mid-February and continues through March 31.
Complaints from Wytheville residents about problems caused by the increasing deer population prompted Wytheville Town Council to take action last summer. Citizens reported giving up their gardens because of crop damage by deer and others complained about deer damage to their flowers and trees.
Council authorized the town’s director of public safety Albert Newberry to obtain a state permit to kill the deer.
Newberry coordinated the effort with the town’s animal control officer Bill Scott. Scott is being accompanied by a town policeman or a paid town fireman on the evening hunts across Wytheville.
Under the cover of night and armed with a silencer-equipped rifle, Scott stakes out areas of town where there is a large deer population. He takes his shots and moves to another location.
“Even with a silencer,” Col. Ayers noted, “when you shoot one deer the shot scares the others off. That’s why you have to move on to another spot.”
The dead deer, Ayers said, are picked up where they’re killed. The carcasses are taken to the Wythe-Bland Joint Public Service Authority’s transfer station, the colonel stated.
A spokesman for the transfer station confirmed the deer carcasses are put in the trailer with the rest of the trash. She said they are taken to Johnson City, Tenn., for burial.
“We were going to give the meat to the Hunters for the Hungry,” Col. Ayers said, “but the cost of field dressing the deer and hauling it made it impossible for us to do.”
According to Col. Ayers, there have been a few complaints about shooting the deer. The harvest, he said, is being conducted late at night and as far away from homes as possible.
“We’ve had one or two complaints,” he said.
While Ayers said the deer harvesting has eased problems somewhat, he expects another permit will be needed. Ayers pointed out February and March are best times to eliminate the deer.
“Getting rid of the deer is not going to happen in one year,” he said. “Deer continues to be a problem. We’ve lost two police cars to deer and we averaged three deer-related accidents a week for awhile earlier this year.”
Ayers blames the increased deer population on the lack of hunters, more posted land and no natural predators of deer. He also noted Wytheville is surrounded by mountains with the deer roaming into various subdivisions looking for food.
Source: WSLS10
Thursday, March 26, 2009
VIRGINIA NEWS: Record Deer Harvest in 2008
A record 253,678 deer were checked in by hunters in Virginia in 2008, topping 242,792 deer reported killed last year and 16 percent higher than the average of 212,780 deer killed by hunters over the last decade. This number should go even higher once deer taken during the late urban archery or special late antlerless-only deer seasons are tabulated.
Deer take is up in all regions and especially higher in the Tidewater, which notched an 8 percent increase. Overall, 111,863 antlered bucks, 22,291 button bucks and 119,524 does were recorded. Does made up 47.3 percent of the overall harvest.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries provided a breakout of the deer kill by season. Archers, not including crossbow hunters, killed 17,881 deer, or 7 percent of the total. Crossbow hunters took 9,597 deer or 4 percent of the total. Muzzleloader hunters killed 57,038 deer, which equates to 22 percent of the total deer harvest.
The telephone and Internet checking systems have been seeing about a 4 percent increase in use since 2004-05, and this past season saw 160,000 deer (or 63 percent of the total) checked this way.
Virginia's deer management plan emphasizes taking does as a means of stabilizing herd populations. Female deer kill numbers have been at record levels for the past six years and, for the past two deer seasons, the overall harvest increases have come from antlerless deer.
Beyond having liberal antlerless bag limits and emphasizing the need for doe harvest, programs such as the "Earn a Buck" regulation require hunters to kill antlerless deer before taking an antlered buck in some localities. Below is a table depicting harvest trends in the Fredericksburg region.
Source: Fredericksburg.com
Deer take is up in all regions and especially higher in the Tidewater, which notched an 8 percent increase. Overall, 111,863 antlered bucks, 22,291 button bucks and 119,524 does were recorded. Does made up 47.3 percent of the overall harvest.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries provided a breakout of the deer kill by season. Archers, not including crossbow hunters, killed 17,881 deer, or 7 percent of the total. Crossbow hunters took 9,597 deer or 4 percent of the total. Muzzleloader hunters killed 57,038 deer, which equates to 22 percent of the total deer harvest.
The telephone and Internet checking systems have been seeing about a 4 percent increase in use since 2004-05, and this past season saw 160,000 deer (or 63 percent of the total) checked this way.
Virginia's deer management plan emphasizes taking does as a means of stabilizing herd populations. Female deer kill numbers have been at record levels for the past six years and, for the past two deer seasons, the overall harvest increases have come from antlerless deer.
Beyond having liberal antlerless bag limits and emphasizing the need for doe harvest, programs such as the "Earn a Buck" regulation require hunters to kill antlerless deer before taking an antlered buck in some localities. Below is a table depicting harvest trends in the Fredericksburg region.
Source: Fredericksburg.com
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
VIRGINIA NEWS: So Where Did All Of Those Deer Come From?
Virginia’s suburbanites and farmers often complain about the number of deer in the road and in the crops, but nobody knows where all those deer came from. Radford University biology professor Bob Sheehy aims to find out.
Naturally, he’s asking his students to help him with the task.
Sheehy is using his genetics class and the 35 students in it to examine the DNA of Virginia’s deer population in hopes of tracing its varied roots. He has also put hunters to work gathering slivers of deer DNA for the students to scrutinize.
What makes the result of the research likely to be intriguing is that much of Virginia’s deer population can be traced to other states: deer all but disappeared from western Virginia at the beginning of the 20th century, prompting the state to bring in deer from elsewhere.
Thirteen deer from West Virginia, for instance, were released in Rockingham County in 1926. Ten deer from North Carolina were let go in Washington County in 1930 and 1931. And, as the program expanded, hundreds more were released in counties west of the Blue Ridge from Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in the following decades.
Altogether, one academic count showed, nearly 2,800 deer were brought to Virginia from other states by 1970, successfully restoring deer to the state.
Now, Sheehy and his students hope to learn how the populations have mingled — if they have — and if they have migrated. Beyond the basic scientific understanding, Sheehy said, is the hands-on knowledge of DNA that students will get from analyzing fingernail-size pieces of deer.
“I’m always trying to find ways to introduce students to genetic variability at the molecular level,“ Sheehy said. “They often find it obtuse. I thought using deer would be great because there’s a ready supply of deer.“
One student who said he is getting a lot out of the project is Jon Hirst, a 22-year-old junior and a graduate of Thomas Dale High School in Chester. “I’ve actually learned a lot more in the lab than in the lectures. It’s showing you rather than telling you about it. And Professor Sheehy is very excited about genetics.“
Sheehy said he hopes to receive samples of DNA from the states that sent deer to Virginia so his students can determine the basic genetic markers — the stuff that makes them unique — of each population. Then, year after year, new classes of students will participate in the project, building a database of deer DNA from throughout Virginia.
“This is real research for the students,“ Sheehy said, “and somebody will use the data further down the line.“
Source: Lynchburg News Advance
Naturally, he’s asking his students to help him with the task.
Sheehy is using his genetics class and the 35 students in it to examine the DNA of Virginia’s deer population in hopes of tracing its varied roots. He has also put hunters to work gathering slivers of deer DNA for the students to scrutinize.
What makes the result of the research likely to be intriguing is that much of Virginia’s deer population can be traced to other states: deer all but disappeared from western Virginia at the beginning of the 20th century, prompting the state to bring in deer from elsewhere.
Thirteen deer from West Virginia, for instance, were released in Rockingham County in 1926. Ten deer from North Carolina were let go in Washington County in 1930 and 1931. And, as the program expanded, hundreds more were released in counties west of the Blue Ridge from Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin in the following decades.
Altogether, one academic count showed, nearly 2,800 deer were brought to Virginia from other states by 1970, successfully restoring deer to the state.
Now, Sheehy and his students hope to learn how the populations have mingled — if they have — and if they have migrated. Beyond the basic scientific understanding, Sheehy said, is the hands-on knowledge of DNA that students will get from analyzing fingernail-size pieces of deer.
“I’m always trying to find ways to introduce students to genetic variability at the molecular level,“ Sheehy said. “They often find it obtuse. I thought using deer would be great because there’s a ready supply of deer.“
One student who said he is getting a lot out of the project is Jon Hirst, a 22-year-old junior and a graduate of Thomas Dale High School in Chester. “I’ve actually learned a lot more in the lab than in the lectures. It’s showing you rather than telling you about it. And Professor Sheehy is very excited about genetics.“
Sheehy said he hopes to receive samples of DNA from the states that sent deer to Virginia so his students can determine the basic genetic markers — the stuff that makes them unique — of each population. Then, year after year, new classes of students will participate in the project, building a database of deer DNA from throughout Virginia.
“This is real research for the students,“ Sheehy said, “and somebody will use the data further down the line.“
Source: Lynchburg News Advance
NEW JERSEY NEWS: Morris Township Cull Nets 178 Deer
Volunteer hunters killed 178 deer during a recently completed herd-thinning program held in a northern New Jersey town.
Morris Township officials wouldn't disclose the specific locations where the hunts were held, saying only that they occurred in open fields and near residential areas. They say no problems were reported.
The culling, which took place between November and February, was done by 25 volunteers armed with bows and arrows. Township officials told The Daily Record of Parsippany that 150 of the deer were female _ including 14 fawns _ and 28 were male.
This was the fourth year that hunts were staged in the township, which has always used volunteers.
Source: Newsday
Morris Township officials wouldn't disclose the specific locations where the hunts were held, saying only that they occurred in open fields and near residential areas. They say no problems were reported.
The culling, which took place between November and February, was done by 25 volunteers armed with bows and arrows. Township officials told The Daily Record of Parsippany that 150 of the deer were female _ including 14 fawns _ and 28 were male.
This was the fourth year that hunts were staged in the township, which has always used volunteers.
Source: Newsday
Thursday, March 19, 2009
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Deer Harvest Up Slightly in 2008
Pennsylvania hunters bagged about 336,000 deer during the most recent hunting seasons, an increase of about 4 percent over the previous year.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Wednesday that in many parts of the state, the antlerless deer harvest dropped in 2008-09, while the overall antlered harvest was generally on par with the previous five years.
The agency is studying the effect of its split deer-hunting season.
The total for the 2007-08 seasons was about 324,000. The year before that it was about 362,000, while it was about 354,000 in 2005-06 and about 409,000 four years ago.
Source: Seattle Times
The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Wednesday that in many parts of the state, the antlerless deer harvest dropped in 2008-09, while the overall antlered harvest was generally on par with the previous five years.
The agency is studying the effect of its split deer-hunting season.
The total for the 2007-08 seasons was about 324,000. The year before that it was about 362,000, while it was about 354,000 in 2005-06 and about 409,000 four years ago.
Source: Seattle Times
Friday, March 13, 2009
WISCONSIN NEWS: Another Municipality Struggles with Deer
City officials in Onalaska are trying to figure out a way to control a booming deer population.
The public had another chance to give their thoughts on the issue Wednesday night. City officials say most people who responded to a recent survey agree something needs to be done to control the number of deer in Onalaska.
Now they have to figure out a way to go about it.
"It appears most people would rather see an archery type hunt, but the parameters of that still has to be figured out," says Joe Barstow, the GIS technician and erosion control inspector for the city of Onalaska.
Some onalaska residents still have questions they want answered before anything is finalized.
"Our concern is that there isnt' a wholesale slaughter of deer, that they maintain property rights, that people don't hunt deer on individual properties and that there's a long term solution, not just like a quick fix type solution," says Michael Strasser, a resident who attended the meeting Wednesday.
If all goes as planned, city officials would like to start a managed hunt by the middle of this fall.
Source: WKBT
The public had another chance to give their thoughts on the issue Wednesday night. City officials say most people who responded to a recent survey agree something needs to be done to control the number of deer in Onalaska.
Now they have to figure out a way to go about it.
"It appears most people would rather see an archery type hunt, but the parameters of that still has to be figured out," says Joe Barstow, the GIS technician and erosion control inspector for the city of Onalaska.
Some onalaska residents still have questions they want answered before anything is finalized.
"Our concern is that there isnt' a wholesale slaughter of deer, that they maintain property rights, that people don't hunt deer on individual properties and that there's a long term solution, not just like a quick fix type solution," says Michael Strasser, a resident who attended the meeting Wednesday.
If all goes as planned, city officials would like to start a managed hunt by the middle of this fall.
Source: WKBT
Monday, March 09, 2009
KANSAS NEWS: Controlled Hunt Proposed for Shawnee Mission Park
A state representative from Eudora has sponsored a bill to create two special bow-hunting seasons to cull the exploding deer population at Shawnee Mission Park in Johnson County.
Republican Anthony Brown wants to allow archers into the 1,280-acre park for nine days in October and nine days in January to shoot deer in a controlled hunt.
The goal of House Bill 2342, he said, is to cull 400 deer from a herd that wildlife officials say is at least eight times larger than the park can support. Any animals not harvested in that time would be killed by sharpshooters, Brown said.
A hearing on the bill is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
Overpopulation can be dangerous to the health of the deer, people and the park’s ecosystem, experts say. Supporters of controlled hunts say they are done successfully in the area.
Critics say arrows are cruel and inhumane. They are pleading for a less “barbaric” solution that could involve relocation, sterilization or contraception.
Hunting is not allowed in the park, and any controlled hunt would require a change in state legislation.
“With 200 deer per square mile, this is causing a problem,” Brown said.
Brown estimated that it costs $300 per deer to hire a qualified sniper, $400 per deer to trap and relocate each animal and up to $700 to sterilize a deer.
“These options, given the number of animals in the park and the current economic climate, are not viable,” he said.
Brown’s efforts came as a surprise to county parks Director Michael Meadors.
“Everybody’s wanting to rush in and do something,” Meadors said. “Our caution has been … to slow down, take a step back, gather as much information as we can, but to make sure the process is as transparent as possible and includes the public.”
Meadors said a draft deer-management plan will be given to the park board in April. Public hearings will be held in May before the board decides the fate of the deer, he said.
Meanwhile, after months of debate, the St. Louis suburb of Town and Country, Mo., last month approved a plan to kill deer and sterilize does.
Deer overpopulation has long been a problem there, and officials agreed to hire a firm to bring in sharpshooters to kill some of the animals, starting this fall. The sterilizati0on effort has begun but is expected to take years to become effective.
Source: Kansas City Star
Republican Anthony Brown wants to allow archers into the 1,280-acre park for nine days in October and nine days in January to shoot deer in a controlled hunt.
The goal of House Bill 2342, he said, is to cull 400 deer from a herd that wildlife officials say is at least eight times larger than the park can support. Any animals not harvested in that time would be killed by sharpshooters, Brown said.
A hearing on the bill is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Tuesday in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
Overpopulation can be dangerous to the health of the deer, people and the park’s ecosystem, experts say. Supporters of controlled hunts say they are done successfully in the area.
Critics say arrows are cruel and inhumane. They are pleading for a less “barbaric” solution that could involve relocation, sterilization or contraception.
Hunting is not allowed in the park, and any controlled hunt would require a change in state legislation.
“With 200 deer per square mile, this is causing a problem,” Brown said.
Brown estimated that it costs $300 per deer to hire a qualified sniper, $400 per deer to trap and relocate each animal and up to $700 to sterilize a deer.
“These options, given the number of animals in the park and the current economic climate, are not viable,” he said.
Brown’s efforts came as a surprise to county parks Director Michael Meadors.
“Everybody’s wanting to rush in and do something,” Meadors said. “Our caution has been … to slow down, take a step back, gather as much information as we can, but to make sure the process is as transparent as possible and includes the public.”
Meadors said a draft deer-management plan will be given to the park board in April. Public hearings will be held in May before the board decides the fate of the deer, he said.
Meanwhile, after months of debate, the St. Louis suburb of Town and Country, Mo., last month approved a plan to kill deer and sterilize does.
Deer overpopulation has long been a problem there, and officials agreed to hire a firm to bring in sharpshooters to kill some of the animals, starting this fall. The sterilizati0on effort has begun but is expected to take years to become effective.
Source: Kansas City Star
WISCONSIN NEWS: Oshkosh Cull Halted
Attempts to reduce the deer herd in the Vulcan Quarry area are on hold indefinitely.
The city is no longer putting out bait in an attempt to draw the deer into the wooded area near the Oshkosh National Guard Armory, 1415 Armory Place, and a third culling attempt is not planned, Police Chief Scott Greuel said.
He said the factors that played into the city's decision include the limited success the city has seen in the first two attempts, the reduced snow cover and the fact that female deer give birth during the spring.
"The baiting has stopped and no culling is planned," Greuel said.
City-hired sharpshooters with Urban Wildlife Specialists shot six deer on Jan. 30 and Feb. 13. Sharpshooters also made a third attempt to reduce the herd on Feb. 28, but did not fire a shot.
Two other deer were found dead in the area. The state Department of National Resources determined a deer found Feb. 6 died of starvation and preliminary necropsy results indicate a deer found dead on Feb. 14 died from grain overload, which resulted from eating more grain than it could digest.
Source: Appleton Post-Crescent
The city is no longer putting out bait in an attempt to draw the deer into the wooded area near the Oshkosh National Guard Armory, 1415 Armory Place, and a third culling attempt is not planned, Police Chief Scott Greuel said.
He said the factors that played into the city's decision include the limited success the city has seen in the first two attempts, the reduced snow cover and the fact that female deer give birth during the spring.
"The baiting has stopped and no culling is planned," Greuel said.
City-hired sharpshooters with Urban Wildlife Specialists shot six deer on Jan. 30 and Feb. 13. Sharpshooters also made a third attempt to reduce the herd on Feb. 28, but did not fire a shot.
Two other deer were found dead in the area. The state Department of National Resources determined a deer found Feb. 6 died of starvation and preliminary necropsy results indicate a deer found dead on Feb. 14 died from grain overload, which resulted from eating more grain than it could digest.
Source: Appleton Post-Crescent
MAINE NEWS: Lowest Deer Harvest in Decades
After a long winter with record-setting snow packs, Maine 2008 deer harvest was the lowest in decades.
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says preliminary figures put the deer kill at 21,062, or 27 percent below the 2007 total.
Deer biologist Lee Kantar says deer yarded up on average for 140 days, compared to the normal 84 days. The result was extremely low survival rates for fawns, reflected in a 45 percent decline in the fawn harvest.
Kantar says the current winter looks similar to last year, which could mean a further decrease in any-deer permits and a reduced deer harvest in 2009.
Source: Burlington Free Press
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says preliminary figures put the deer kill at 21,062, or 27 percent below the 2007 total.
Deer biologist Lee Kantar says deer yarded up on average for 140 days, compared to the normal 84 days. The result was extremely low survival rates for fawns, reflected in a 45 percent decline in the fawn harvest.
Kantar says the current winter looks similar to last year, which could mean a further decrease in any-deer permits and a reduced deer harvest in 2009.
Source: Burlington Free Press
Friday, March 06, 2009
UTAH NEWS: Another Case of Rising Suburban Deer Populations
Prancing deer in Bountiful are becoming a more common sight, these days.
For some, it reminds them that nature is still close at hand. For others, it means their gardens are eaten up.
“We have had a lot of complaints about the growth of an urban deer herd in Bountiful,” said City Manager Tom Hardy.
He was talking about the city’s critters in relation to approval given by the city council to a five-year contract with Davis County Animal Control Services.
Deer actually fall under jurisdiction of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“There is no natural predator, only the cold and snow” to deter deer population from growing, Hardy said.
“The population is exploding, and not just on the east bench,” he said. “There is a problem all the way down to the freeway.
“Seven to eight years ago, we had deer hitting cars,” plus the more usual cars hitting deer, he said. “The division thinned the herd, killed several hundred deer.”
The thought of killing deer, obviously, doesn’t come down well with everyone, the city manager said.
“To thin the herd, they (division staff) have to literally go into people’s backyards” and take the deer out.
Source: Clipper Today
For some, it reminds them that nature is still close at hand. For others, it means their gardens are eaten up.
“We have had a lot of complaints about the growth of an urban deer herd in Bountiful,” said City Manager Tom Hardy.
He was talking about the city’s critters in relation to approval given by the city council to a five-year contract with Davis County Animal Control Services.
Deer actually fall under jurisdiction of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“There is no natural predator, only the cold and snow” to deter deer population from growing, Hardy said.
“The population is exploding, and not just on the east bench,” he said. “There is a problem all the way down to the freeway.
“Seven to eight years ago, we had deer hitting cars,” plus the more usual cars hitting deer, he said. “The division thinned the herd, killed several hundred deer.”
The thought of killing deer, obviously, doesn’t come down well with everyone, the city manager said.
“To thin the herd, they (division staff) have to literally go into people’s backyards” and take the deer out.
Source: Clipper Today
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