Thinning the deer herd

Where deer do not have enough natural habitat and are spilling over into residential neighborhoods, reducing the herd size is necessary for its health and to prevent overpopulation. The Department of Natural Resources does this in rural areas. They issue a certain number of doe permits if not controlled by normal buck permits.

It’s perhaps more important in urban or suburban areas where deer population has grown unchecked and they pose a bigger safety risk. There are currently many extra deer, so more does will need to be harvested than in an area where hunting is allowed. Lyme Disease is another reason to thin the herd.

The Pittsburgh solution

• Experienced archers are allowed to hunt in some parks. Herd size is kept to manageable amounts. Pittsburgh has a non-profit organization where hunters donate the first deer and every third deer afterwards, giving the venison to a local foodbank. They have donated 25 tons of venison since 1996.

• They have strict by-laws with membership by invitation only.

• Hunters are happy to do this for free; they also don’t have to travel as far – less fuel and travel expenses.

• See this article for more information: http://usameltingpot.org/urban-deer-overpopulation-and-road-safety/

Hire a company to handle it.

They’ll do whatever the community wants, for a price:

• $70-125 for processing the meat

– Managed hunts ($100-200 per deer)

– Transport some of the dear deer

– Temporary fertility control ($500-$1500 per doe)

– Sterilization (currently in research stage)

– Etc.

Sharpshooters would probably be needed for the coyote problem. A Bloomfield Township man chased four coyotes off with a baseball bat when they attacked his 65 lb dog. The dog suffered numerous bites but will be OK. See Nextdoor Palmerston for photos and details.

Experienced bow hunters and sharpshooters seem to be the best solutions to the urban and suburban deer overpopulation problem.

See previous articles for more information:

Part 1, Deer Overpopulation and Road Safety

Part 2: The Adams Road Deer Crossing

Part 3, Deer at the Troy Nature Center

Part 4, Troy Neighborhoods & Deer

Part 5, Deer Countermeasures

Part 6, Coyotes & deer – unsafe for pets, people

Part 7, Safety issue – Troy’s deer overpopulation; Regional solution needed

Part 8, Deer Crossing Signs

#deer #urbanwildlife #wildlife #deeroverpopulation