Shooters Will Take Aim At Essex County Deer Population As Cull Returns

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County’s annual deer cull will return in 2023 after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. recently outlined plans for the 13th county-sanctioned cull, which will take place at South Mountain Reservation and Hilltop Reservation. The cull – which has seen criticism from some residents and support from others – will not be held in Eagle Rock Reservation this year.

South Mountain Reservation is located in Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange. Hilltop Reservation is in Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona.

The cull will be held in South Mountain Reservation on the following Tuesdays: January 10, 17, 24 and 31, and February 7 and 14. In the event any dates are cancelled, make up days will be on February 21 or 28.

The program will be held in Hilltop Reservation on the following Thursdays: January 12, 19 and 26, and February 2, 9 and 16. In the event any days are cancelled, make up days will be on February 23 or March 2.

For safety reasons, both reservations will be closed to the public when the cull is in effect. Turtle Back Zoo, Codey Arena, the Park N’ Ride and McLoone’s Boathouse will remain open.

Over the past decade and a half, registered hunters have killed thousands of animals during the county's annual management program, which aims to "revitalize the forest ecology" by reducing the number of deer.

The cull was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.

“We are focusing our attention on staffing our vaccination and testing sites, bringing our mobile outreach program to schools, houses of worship and community centers and making sure our residents have access to programs that keep them safe, healthy and protected,” DiVincenzo said last year, explaining the reason why it was canceled.

But this year – with the county’s COVID-19 vaccine and testing centers closed – the annual cull is back.

Here’s what to expect, according to a news release from DiVincenzo’s office:

“Since 2008, a total of 2,817 deer (1,774 deer and 1,043 unborn deer) have been removed utilizing the services of experienced and qualified marksmen who volunteer their time. They are licensed by the state of New Jersey and have demonstrated their marksmanship ability and completed an orientation program with the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. When in the reservations, the agents station themselves in trees at least 20 feet above the ground and only take shots at a downward angle. To maximize safety, South Mountain Reservation, Hilltop Reservation, Cedar Grove Park and all parking areas and walking paths inside the reservations will be closed to the public on the days the program is held in that specific reservation. Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, Essex County Codey Arena, the Essex County Park-N-Ride facility and McLoone’s Boathouse Restaurant in the Essex County South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange and all County roads through the reservations will remain open. The Essex County Sheriff’s Office will coordinate safety patrols with local police departments.”

According to county officials, all deer removed from the reservations are inspected and information about their age, reproductive status, gender and weight, as well as the number of shots fired is collected. The deceased animals are transported to a New Jersey Department of Health-approved butcher for processing. Venison is donated to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey in Hillside, which distributes the meat to people in need and people experiencing homeless. Since 2008, more than 47,075 pounds of venison have been donated to the FoodBank, which equates to more than 168,000 meals.

Volunteers who complete at least seven half-day shifts of service during the cull will receive 40 pounds of venison, officials added.

DEER CULL CONTROVERSY

Some people – including DiVincenzo – have maintained that the annual cull is needed to help keep the deer population at a reasonable level.

“Controlling the population by removing deer from South Mountain and Hilltop has proven to be very successful in helping to preserve the forest habitat and maintain our reservations as viable resources for recreation and open space,” DiVincenzo said.

“Each year, we have updated our program to address current conditions, adjusting the number and schedule of days and transitioning into a ‘maintenance mode’ to keep the population at a manageable level,” he added.

• See related article: Humans vs. Deer In NJ: State Has A 'Zero Density' Population Goal

But other county residents have argued the opposite, demanding an end to the killing.

In August – before this year’s plans were officially released – nonprofit advocacy group Our Green West Orange denounced the possibility of restarting the cull in 2023.

“We strongly oppose gunmen in our suburban reservations killing our deer,” the group wrote in a message aimed at county officials. “Our reservations are meant for hiking, not for killing. Isn’t there enough violence in our county without having to hear gunshots in our backyards or watch dead carcasses being carried out of our beloved reservation?”

“We urge you to stop wasting our taxpayer money and spend the $1 million or so that you have wasted over the years to plant trees (and use deer protection as you do in Brookdale Park, which allows the trees to grow with no issue),” Our Green West Orange stated.

• See related article: Advocates Worry That Essex County Deer Cull May Return In 2023

Other groups have protested the annual cull in previous years.

“Deer are social, intelligent, and gentle animals whose lives matter to them, their offspring, and to their family units,” the League of Humane Voters of New Jersey stated prior to a protest of the Essex County hunt in 2017.

“Deer can feel pain and suffering just like us,” the group said.

• See related article: Activists Protest Essex County Deer Cull

But officials have maintained that the cull isn’t the only way the county is trying to manage the deer population. They include:

FENCES/REPLANTING – “In addition to culling the deer herd, an aggressive replanting program to accelerate the regrowth of the forests is being undertaken in South Mountain Reservation and Eagle Rock Reservation. Forty-seven enclosures (42 in South Mountain and five in Eagle Rock) have been installed where native vegetative species have been planted so their seeds can be reintroduced into the area. The eight-foot-tall fences are designed to prevent deer and other large animals from foraging on the planted areas, but allow smaller animals, such as rodents and birds, to enter and exit. The fences will remain in place for about 25 years. The planting project was funded with grants from the NJ Green Acres program received by the South Mountain Conservancy and the Eagle Rock Conservancy and grants from the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. Replanting native plant species is necessary to restore the forest understory that was being destroyed by the over-browsing of deer. The loss of this vegetation has prevented new trees from growing, created erosion problems, allowed invasive plant species to flourish and caused the number of native animal species that rely on the plants for food or protection to decline.”

ROAD DEVICES – “The third aspect of the Essex County Deer Management Program is enhancing safety on county roads by reducing the number of motor vehicle accidents involving deer. Through a pilot program with the NJ Department of Transportation, Essex County received grant money to install detection devices that reflect motor vehicle headlights and emit a high-pitched noise to scare deer away from the road when cars approach. The reflectors are installed along Cherry Lane, Brookside Drive, JFK Parkway and Parsonage Hill Road in Millburn, Livingston and West Orange.”

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