Details Announced for Deer Culling at Hilltop Reservation

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. announced the dates and times of this year's county-sanctioned deer hunt at Hilltop Reservation, which is scheduled for eight full days this February.

The hunt is part of the county's Deer Management Program, which DiVincenzo touted as "The best program in the entire state" at a press conference in West Orange on Monday, Nov. 8.

Since the start of the program in 2008, DiVincenzo says 750 deer have been removed by volunteer hunters in an effort to improve the health of the county's forests.

"Reducing the number of deer in our reservations is a very controversial and emotional issue, but it is a necessary step if we are going to preserve the forest habitat and maintain our reservations as viable resources for recreation and open space."

Although no limits are set on the number of deer each hunter may kill, the county has set goals in each of the three main reservations in the program: Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange and Montclair (25); South Mountain Reservation in Millburn, West Orange and Maplewood (60); and Hilltop Reservation, which spans Caldwell, North Caldwell, Verona and Cedar Grove (130).

The program will be conducted over six weeks between Jan. 18-Feb. 24. The hunt on Hilltop's 280-plus acres will take place every Tuesday and Thursday in February. This year's total of eight days of hunting at Hilltop is an increase over last year, when the hunt lasted 2.5 days. DiVincenzo said the length of the hunt will be shortened once the deer population is reduced at Hilltop.

"With all the development that's been done, the deer have no place to go and are living on people's properties now. Once we have [the population] under control we will do the same thing we did at South Mountain Reservation: we will reduce the number of days."

However, DiVincenzo said the program would not be phased out entirely.

"This program will always have to continue for us to make sure our residents are safe and making sure that our forest gets back where it used to be 30 years ago."

County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura said car accidents involving deer is another significant reason behind the cull.

The Cedar Grove Police have  to motorists in recent weeks, particularly to those driving in the Hilltop area, after a rash of motor vehicle crashes involving deer.

Fontoura said so far in 2010 there have been 114 deer carcasses removed from county roadways. The peak year for deer carcasses removed from county roads was 363 in 2008, he said, and 284 were removed in 2009.

"When it's deer versus car, someone's going to lose, and it's usually the car," Fontoura said at the press conference.

The county has begun the search for 25 volunteer hunters who will be responsible for culling the deer. Dan Brenier, the county's deer management consultant, said applicants must be experienced, licenced hunters who must pass a test to qualify for the position.

Though the hunters are not being paid, each hunter who kills six or more deer will be given 40 pounds of venison. The rest of the meat, DiVincenzo said, will be distributed among county food banks.

A number of safety measures will be in place during the hunt to preserve the county's unblemished safety record for the program. A maximum of eight hunters will be allowed in Hilltop at any given time. Hunters can only shoot from a perch of at least 20 feet high in a tree, and will be using slugs instead of buckshot. A telescopic sight must also be used for maximum accuracy.

As an added safety measure, the parking areas inside Hilltop will be closed to the public on the days of the hunt. Fairview Avenue in Cedar Grove and Verona will be closed to traffic, but all other county roadways will remain open.

When asked about criticism from people who say the program is inhumane, DiVincenzo said the Deer Management Program is more humane than the alternative.

"I think this is the most humane way to do it. The most inhumane way is for a deer to get hit by a car...we're seeing it on all our major roadways throughout Essex County. I think that's more inhumane than the way we're doing it."