Extended Hunt Aims To Control County Deer Population: Officials

The current deer population in Hopewell Township is 12 times what it should be, wildlife experts told Mercer County officials following its annual spring deer count. The exact number of deer was 127 deer per square mile, county officials said this week.

In an attempt to reduce the burgeoning population in the northwest part of Mercer County, the upcoming deer season begins earlier, on Sept. 8. The season will run through Oct. 26. In response to concerns over the extended hunt, county officials pointed the dangers the white-tailed deer poses to the population at large.

“In addition to their detrimental impacts on forested parkland, natural woodlands and private residents’ landscaping, white-tailed deer are a health and safety hazard for all people,” officials said in a release. “Deer-vehicle collisions in New Jersey are estimated at more than 25,000 annually, with a percentage of these accidents resulting in fatalities. Deer also are host to disease-carrying tick species. In Hopewell Township alone, 26 percent of households have a family member who has contracted Lyme disease, and 49 percent of households have experienced a deer-vehicle collision. The main goal of the Mercer County Park Commission deer management program is to reduce local deer populations to a density that promotes healthy ecosystems and public safety.”

Over the summer, the Asian longhorned tick turned up in Mercer County. The Longhorn ticks that have been found thus far haven't proven dangerous to humans or animals, but this species can carry several bacterial and viral diseases, and has been associated with spotted fever rickettsioses.

A recently discovered tick-borne illness, called alpha-gal is carried by the lone-star tick, which has also been found in Mercer County. It can create a severe red meat allergy in those infected.

“Since the inception of the Mercer Meadows Deer Management program, staff at the Mercer County Park Commission have tracked deer harvest data from the program and collaborated with local agencies to improve the impact of the program,” officials said. “While the harvest total has slowly increased, the shortened season has impacted our ability to reach our target harvest. To begin harvesting the number of deer in the park needed to reduce the population, the best option, according to wildlife management experts, is to increase the length of this program. Deer harvested during Fall Bow hunting accounts for more than 50 percent of the total deer harvested by bow annually in New Jersey.”

They pointed out that while several other counties have opened many of their parks to bow hunting while they are open to the public, Mercer County has only opened one of their parks to the full bow hunting season. That is Baldpate Mountain. Mercer Meadows is also open for hunting, but only on select days.

“All New Jersey licensed hunters have completed a hunter education course run by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which covers all the state’s safety precautions. Hunting permits are issued to hunters at the county level, and only those holding permits may hunt on county property,” officials said. “The Park Commission also ensures that there are safety zones around all occupied buildings and playgrounds. For bow hunting, safety zones are a 150 feet wide, and hunters are not allowed to shoot into or hunt from safety zones. As an N.J. licensed hunter, hunters are instructed to know their target and beyond. If a hunter cannot see where their shot will stop, they are not to shoot, and no hunting is permitted across roadways.”

In addition to rules set forth by the state regulating agency, all Mercer County Park Commission deer management programs operate with additional regulations to increase public safety measures, according to officials.

First, all hunting is performed from elevated tree stands, which mean hunters point their bow toward the ground in order to aim at deer. No projectiles are shot across the park, parallel to the ground.

Also, hunters in tree stands are not permitted to shoot beyond 30 yards with their bow, as it is considered unethical in this program. Hunters are not permitted to set up a tree stand within 50 feet of a trail, nor are they allowed to hunt across a trail.

“The recent misunderstanding from park patrons has revealed the Park Commission’s need to clarify a few county regulations regarding hunting methods in the park. All county-permitted hunters understand that they are not to shoot toward trails from their tree stands. The 50-foot safety buffer on trails mirrors the state’s safety zones. No hunter is permitted to hunt from or shoot into the safety zones or the county’s safety buffer at Mercer Meadows,” officials said. “The rules and regulations that the county requires hunters to abide by do not promote sport hunting ethics. All of our hunting programs operate as deer management programs. County hunters are required to harvest two female deer in the program before they are permitted to harvest an antlered buck. The harvest of female deer is shown to increase the impact of deer management programs. Additionally, the Park Commission works with hunters to promote the donation of harvested deer to the Hunters Helping the Hungry program. Last year, our deer management programs produced 518 pounds of venison that was donated to soup kitchens. This year, our goal is to donate 1,850 pounds of venison to local soup kitchens.”

If the deer population is decreased to a sufficiently healthy level following this year’s hunt, the county can consider adjusting the time frame for future hunts, officials said. For more information regarding the Mercer County Park Commission Deer Management Program, visit
https://mercercountyparks.org/#!/activities/deer-management.

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