Essex County Hunters Kill 240 Deer In First Cull Since COVID Pandemic

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Hunters killed 240 deer in Essex County in the first cull since the coronavirus pandemic began, officials reported earlier this week.

A total of 152 deer and 88 unborn deer were removed from South Mountain Reservation (Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange) and Hilltop Reservation (Cedar Grove, North Caldwell and Verona) during the county’s annual deer management program, which took place between Jan. 10 and Feb. 23.

The cull – which officials say is organized to help manage the local deer population – was not held in Eagle Rock Reservation this year.

The program was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic, largely so the county could focus on its COVID-19 response.

As part of the county-run program, licensed hunters positioned themselves in trees at least 20 feet above the ground and only fired their guns 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 were closed to the public on the days the program was held. In addition, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office coordinated safety patrols with local police departments.

Here's what happens to the deer killed during the cull, county officials say:

“All deer removed from the reservations were inspected and information about its age, reproductive status, gender and weight, as well as the number of shots fired was collected. They were transported by the county to a New Jersey Department of Health-approved butcher for processing. Venison was donated to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey in Hillside, which distributed the meat to the needy and homeless. This year, 4,405 pounds of venison were donated to were donated to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey to be given to less fortunate residents. Since 2008, a total of 51,480 pounds of venison have been donated to the FoodBank. Volunteer marksmen who completed at least seven half-day shifts of volunteer service received 40 pounds of venison.”

Since 2008, a total of 3,057 deer (1,926 deer and 1,131 unborn deer) have been killed as part of the program.

CULL CONTROVERSY

The county’s annual cull has seen criticism from some residents and support from others.

Some people – including Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. – 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.

• 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.

"The killing of the bears and now the deer are making me physically ill," said Carmela Cohen, a Montclair resident. "It's totally barbaric, cruel, inhumane ... it needs to stop."

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

County officials have maintained that the cull isn’t the only way the county is trying to manage the deer population, however. Other methods 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.”

Other groups, such as the nonprofit Hilltop Conservancy, have supported the cull in the past. According to the group's website:

"The Conservancy supports continued deer population reduction in the Hilltop Reservation in order to restore ecological balance, and we believe that Essex County’s deer management program is the most cost-effective and responsible way to achieve that objective. This is not a decision we make lightly – non-lethal methods such as immuno-contraceptives and surgical sterilization are very expensive and are ineffective in an unfenced environment like the Reservation (see Deer Control Methods Cost & Effectiveness Comparison). In addition, lethal methods better reflect (however imperfectly) the predator-prey relationship found in nature – where large predators like wolves and mountain lions would otherwise keep deer numbers in check and in balance with their habitat."

"Unfortunately our suburbs provide the perfect environment for deer to thrive – a year-round food supply and no large predators – with serious negative impacts on forest health," the Hilltop Conservancy says.

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