 Deer Management News This Week Wildlife corridors need protection August 17, 2019 Colorado, The Durango Herald ... U.S. Highway 160 and others become greater barriers to safe passage of deer and elk herds... the new management plan just announced by the Rio Grande National Forest ... ignored widespread calls for action to elevate wildlife corridors... To find out more about the corridors at risk in the Rio Grande watershed, visit www.connectedcorridors.com... Scientists continue uncovering unusual, epic deer migrations in western Wyoming August 16, 2019 Casper Star-Tribune ... “The fact that she was able to walk almost 60 miles in one direction and turn around and walk that same path back shows that something neat is going on here,” Jakopak said. “And calls attention to how smart mule deer are and how much we don’t know about them.” ... a multi-year study looking at fawn survival in the Wyoming Range...Proposed bike trail moved out of migration bottleneck August 16, 2019 Wyoming, Jackson Hole News&Guide ... Plans that originated with a cycling group were considered by the Bridger-Teton National Forest, but the project didn’t pass muster when it was being vetted by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and others... Manheim Twp. man charged after bullet strikes house when he shot hunting rifle 7 times August 16, 2019 Pennsylvania, Lancaster Online ... has a permit for deer culling ... one of the seven rounds fired from the hunting rifle struck the sunroom of a residence nearby while the homeowners were home... When biologists stocked Alaska with wolves August 16, 2019 juneauempire.com ... in 1960: on Coronation Island ... a high density of blacktailed deer and no wolves... biologists from Fish and Game released two pairs of wolves ... in 1964: at least 13 wolves... in 1965: no sign of deer on the north side of the island ... February 1966: only three wolves ...wolf scats ... suggesting the animals had resorted to cannibalism ... August 1966: just three sets of fresh deer tracks... in 1983: no evidence of wolves, but the deer were once again plentiful... Des Peres City Grapples Over Growing Deer Population August 16, 2019 Missouri, timesnewspapers.com ... Mayor Mark Becker asked Schaefer to look into the PZP vaccine for sterilization. “Let’s see what the conservation department thinks about sterilization,” he said. “We want this issue to be transparent and we want to make sure we have the answers.” ... Colorado Springs not ready to address deer overpopulation August 15, 2019 Colorado, KRDO ... "We've had two deer counts and need more ... We need more data about how many deer we have, how much the herd is growing, how much it needs to be reduced and how much chronic wasting disease is present." ... Florida Key Deer Among First Casualties of Gutted Endangered Species Act August 15, 2019 Florida, Miami New Times ... yesterday, the Trump administration signaled its intent to remove the deer from the list of endangered species. The Florida Key deer is one of the first casualties of a revised Endangered Species Act (ESA), which no longer recognizes climate change as a threat to wildlife... Public hunting in suburban deer programs will increase in Allegheny County August 15, 2019 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ... In July, the commission voted to require municipalities applying for cull permits to provide more information verifying that public hunting has occurred in deer-control areas... To remain in compliance with their cull agreements, Mt. Lebanon and Fox Chapel will staff their controlled hunts with vetted archers from the general public ... Ungulate migration group asks Gov. Gordon for protective executive orderAugust 14, 2019 Wyoming, Jackson Hole News&Guide ... A diverse committee charged with shaping Wyoming’s policies for safeguarding ungulate migration is asking Gov. Mark Gordon for an executive order that will keep designated routes largely unscathed... Peters Township business owner plans deer cull to help cut losses August 14, 2019 Pennsylvania, The Almanac ... Because the Pennsylvania Game Commission considers his property to be for agricultural use, he does not need a permit to carry out culling activities... Wyoming contests 2020 plan to wean refuge elk from artificial feed August 14, 2019 Jackson Hole News&Guide ... last winter the environmental advocacy law-firm Earthjustice sued, asking a federal judge to compel the refuge to release a feeding-reduction plan... In the Wyoming Game and Fish director’s view, a fatal flaw of the plan is a lack of flexibility... Preview of Kentucky's fall hunting seasons August 14, 2019 Richmond Register ... Populations are stable but fluctuate slightly each year based on food availability. The Kentucky Division of Forestry estimates that 48 percent of Kentucky, some 12.4 million acres, is forested and that 75 percent of these forest lands are composed of oak-hickory forest type, the most advantageous to wildlife... Elko wildlife crossings win award August 13, 2019 Nevada, elkodaily.com ... The wildlife overpasses are covered with native soil and vegetation to replicate the natural environment and encourage crossing by mule deer and other animals. In total, roughly 60 miles of eight-foot-high wildlife fencing was installed on both sides of the roadway to help direct animals to the crossings... Rift within DNR over logging in state wildlife areas August 12, 2019 Minnesota, Duluth News Tribune ... While logging and young forests are good for some species at some times of year — deer, grouse and bear all favor young aspen, for example — the same species also need bigger, older trees in winter... Weaning Jackson elk off refuge feed may start this winter August 12, 2019 Wyoming, Jackson Hole News&Guide ... In a worst-case scenario, the refuge’s prized winter range will become an infected area where wildlife congregate, leading to the long-term decline of a diseased Jackson Elk Herd. But the fate of the refuge still remains uncertain since CWD and wild, fed elk have never before mixed... Chronic Wasting Disease in Cervids: Implications for Prion Transmission to Humans and Other Animal Species August, 2019 American Society for Microbiology ... CWD has been confirmed in at least 26 U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, South Korea, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, with a notable increase in the past 5 years. The continued geographic spread of this disease increases the frequency of exposure to CWD prions among cervids, humans, and other animal species... Idaho roadkill study begins along wildlife migration route August 12, 2019 Idaho News ... The project started earlier this summer and uses volunteers to identify dead animals on U.S. Highway 20 and State Highway 87...The list of roadkills includes White-tailed Deer Elk ...Mule Deer ... This Explains the Rise and Fall of the Northern Wisconsin Deer Population August 12, 2019 Wisconsin, DeerandDeerHunting ... The overshooting by market hunters prior to 1897 and continued subsistence hunting (poaching) by settlers caused deer numbers to plunge to very low levels by about 1910. ... Maximum deer carrying capacity (KCC) in the north was estimated during the 1980s and 1990s to average about 26–30 deer/2 miles of habitat... Density goals had been set by DMU at about 65–70% of KCC, which is higher than optimum for maximum sustained yield... Deer dies of EHD in southeast Indiana as DNR investigates potential outbreak August 12, 2019 Indiana, fox59.com ... A deer died from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in southeast Indiana... The most recent significant outbreaks were in 2007 and 2012... DNR confirms cougar report from Gogebic County August 12, 2019 Michigan, UpperMichigansSource.com ... the state’s 39th cougar report since 2008 ... photographed July 7 in daylight hours northwest of Ironwood, in the far western portion of the Upper Peninsula... Elk can be just as good at avoiding cougars and wolves as they are at hiding from hunters, study shows August 12, 2019 Wyoming, Billings Gazette ... a recently published study based on information collected in Yellowstone National Park shows that elk use much the same behavior to avoid mountain lions and wolves... Dan Stahler, Yellowstone Cougar Project manager... Land acquisition will bolster I-40 wildlife corridor project August 11, 2019 North Carolina, The Mountaineer ... The property is particularly impactful for the elk population, which requires young forest — known as early successional habitat — for foraging ... a box culvert under I-40 ... “We have a responsibility to help elk, deer, bear and other wildlife cross the interstate and other roads ... Montgomery Parks, 2020 Annual Deer Population Management Operations and Seasonal Park Closures - August 2019, Maryland ...will begin its annual deer population management program in September 2019 into March 2020. Eight park units have been added this year, for a total of 54 parks where archery and/or shotgun managed deer hunting or Park Police-based sharpshooting operations will take place... Initiated 23 years ago ... Over 19,500 deer have been removed from select parks since the inception ... DEC Plans Changes to Deer, Moose Policies August 11, 2019 New York, adirondackalmanack.com ... Proposed changes include: Expanding the prohibition on the importation of carcasses and carcass parts of CWD-susceptible animals to include all jurisdictions outside of New York; Clarifying that the only parts of CWD-susceptible animals that may be imported into New York are deboned meat, cleaned skull cap, antlers with no flesh ... The culprit to blame for missing flower buds August 11, 2019 Pennsylvania, Tribune-Review ... The damage, at first, seems like it may be rabbits, deer or groundhogs nibbling off the flower buds before they can open, but after a bit of investigation, it’s often discovered that a small caterpillar known as the geranium or tobacco budworm is to blame... Effectiveness of Seasonal Deer Advisories on Changeable Message Signs as a Deer Crash Mitigation Tool BM Donaldson, YJ Kweon - Transportation Research Record, 2019 Virginia ... The Virginia Department of Transportation began posting deer advisory messages on changeable message signs (CMSs) along a 16.7-mi segment of Interstate 64 in October 2015. The posting of these messages during the peak of deer activity ... Posting seasonal deer advisories every other day on the five existing CMSs in this study’s project area is expected to save approximately $700,000 to $1.4 million over the service life of the CMSs... ... The current elk population size (2,082 elk) and sex ratio (38 bulls per 100 cows) are within the ranges for the respective three alternatives, so we would expect to maintain current or slightly lower license levels depending on which alternative is selected... Why Testing for CWD is One of the Biggest Obstacles to Fighting it August 9, 2019 Field and Stream ... In 2017, there were 100,000 deer tested nationwide, but nearly 25,000 of those were tested in Missouri alone. Prior to 2015, Tennessee was testing only a few hundred samples per year ... Transporting dead deer—especially with brain and spinal tissue—from a CWD-positive area is believed to be a primary vector for spreading the disease... Prescribed burn planned during fire season east of Groveland August 9, 2019 California, Union Democrat ... Other goals of the underburn are to enhance and protect wildlife habitat, including improvement of deer browse, which is defined as leaves, twigs, and buds of woody plants deer eat... Woodland Stewards Worry About Deer Impact August 9, 2019 New Jersey, Pascack Press & Northern Valley Press ... Most North Jersey nature centers and sanctuaries have already taken action—at three nature preserves managers have built deer-excluding fences to help protect and regenerate forest understory ... Many public discussions come to a stalemate when experts or advocates present opposing views on deer impacts and methods to effect deer controls and population reduction... Aiken City Council reviewing change that would enable deer cull in Woodside community August 9, 2019 South Carolina, Aiken Standard ... The sprawling neighborhood earlier this year voted in favor of killing and harvesting – and thus removing – deer in the area. The vote was conducted via mail-in referendum. It passed by a noticeable margin: 1330 for, 746 against, according to City Council documents... Fenton, Talk Turns To Speeding Motorists, Deer Population In Fenton August 9, 2019 Missouri, Webster-Kirkwood Times ... After it was noted at a July 25 board meeting that most other cities involved in deer killing are first prompted by current research that verifies deer overpopulation, Fenton staff were instructed to seek options regarding how to conduct an impartial survey of local deer numbers independent of Belleville’s estimated numbers... Deer Management Committee to request another controlled hunt in West Bend parks August 9, 2019 Wisconsin, washingtoncountyinsider.com ... Some in the community have questioned whether the deer are still a problem and Butschlick said he is still fielding calls about deer cleaning out bird feeders and ravaging flowers and gardens... In 2018 the city hired sharpshooters on a managed hunt ... Does white-tailed deer density affect tree stocking in forests of the Eastern United States? August 8, 2019 Figshare ... Despite deer pressure, a major transition in eastern forests has resulted in increased tree densities. Methods To reconcile conflicting trends, we applied generalized linear mixed models to compare deer densities during 1982 and then 1996 to tree stocking after about 30 years and 15 years of potential reductions of small trees by deer, for the entire eastern US and 11 ecological provinces... Deer densities and tree stocking were not related significantly for the entire eastern US... Furthermore, major tree species trends did not match tree browse preferences. Conclusions Rather than too few trees, too many trees is an ecological problem where historical open oak and pine forests had herbaceous understories, and currently, trees have captured growing space. We attribute other drivers than deer to explain this transition... Sixth Deer Suspected Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in Libby August 8, 2019 Montana, Flathead Beacon ... If confirmed, it would mark the sixth detection of CWD in Libby. The first detection occurred in late May and was the first time CWD had been detected in the wild west of the Continental Divide... Ban on deer/elk urine scent begins Jan. 1, 2020 to protect wildlife from CWD August 8, 2019 Oregon, ODFW News ... The 2019 Oregon State Legislature has passed a bill that bans the possession and use of deer and elk urine scent lures that contain or are derived from any cervid urine beginning Jan. 1, 2020. HB 2294 was sponsored by Rep. Witt (D-Clatskanie) and Rep. Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) and is meant to reduce the threat of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) to the state’s deer, elk and moose populations.., Hunters can take more deer ... August 8, 2019 Vermont, VTDigger12h ... Louis Porter, commissioner of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, told committee members that the size of the state’s deer herd has been on the rise in recent years, despite a downtick last year due to the harsh winter... the total number of deer a hunter can take per season will increase from three to four under the new rule .., Zone A deer season opens Saturday August 7, 2019 California, Record Bee ... in 1955 the estimated deer kill in Lake County alone exceeded 2,000 bucks. Compare that to the past few years when only about 500 bucks have been taken annually... the University of California showed that only one fawn in four will live to be a year old... Step inside Minnesota's only lab for detecting CWD — the mad cow disease of deer August 7, 2019 MinnPost ... While sales of deer hunting licenses dropped 4.6 percent in Minnesota over the last two years, they fell as much as 11.5 percent in regions known to have CWD. The deer hunting industry generates more than $500 million for the state’s economy each year and helps pay for the budget at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR)... Three wolf pups were born in the Central Valley this spring August 7, 2019 California, Sacramento Bee ... While the exact number of gray wolves in California is uncertain, a wolf biologist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife told The Mercury News the three pups raise the total in the state to between seven and 10.., Olean, Deer control options mulled in Olean as officials take population growth complaints August 6, 2019 New York, Olean Times Herald ... create a formal deer cull for the late winter months with DEC permits issued to hunters. A more costly option would be to hire sharpshooters or task city police with the job of culling deer in a similar fashion. The most expensive option ... would be to sterilize the deer through surgical or chemical contraceptive means ... Fripp Island, SC island residents upset community leaders want to shoot deer to limit population growth August 6, 2019 South Carolina, Post and Courier Charleston ... board members seem set on culling the population, which has started to grow again since the birth control program ended ... using a birth control program is roughly six times more expensive than paying a sharpshooter... “But so many of us are against the sharpshooting, it’s not what we stand for being a wildlife sanctuary.” ... Getting ready for the fall hunting season August 6, 2019 Idaho, KMVT ... the late winter and late spring was not good for the fawns. A lot of young deer didn't make it through the winter. Mature deer numbers are the same as last year, but the numbers of elk are up.., ... Montana wildlife officials are planning to offer 600 special licenses to hunt deer in an effort to test for chronic wasting disease and contain its spread... near Libby ...  ... like warts ... Fibromas is caused by the papillomavirus, resulting in hairless tumors that are hard and rough, usually black or brownish in color. The warts can look grotesque, but unless extremely prevalent and clustered rarely cause problems... Resolution would reduce potential elk restoration area August 5, 2019 Minnesota, Duluth News Tribune ... one St. Louis County commissioner is asking the County Board to pass a resolution asking the Fond du Lac Band to remove one area entirely ... “While these studies have shown support for the potential restoration/reintroduction of elk, other concerns which may have a negative impact on deer populations, area farmers and public safety also have been identified,’’ ... As It Was: Ashland, Ore., Forest Plan Reduces Wildfire Danger August 5, 2019 Oregon, ijpr.or ... Until settlers began arriving in the 1850s, the indigenous people used low-intensity fire to herd [and feed] deer, reducing fuel content in the watershed. As settlers pushed aside the Indians, the forest thickened, becoming susceptible to wildfires... Natural Resources Commission postpones buck limit reduction decision August 5, 2019 West Virginia, WV News ... "A big issue is estimated cost in loss of revenue on licenses sales if the buck limit was dropped," [Paul Johansen, Division of Natural Resources section chief] ... Those who advocate for the reduced limit have a perception that lowering the bag limit would allow deer to grow to an older age and produce larger antlers... Iowa City Council to vote on plan for four bow hunts in four years August 5, 2019 Iowa, Iowa City Press Citizen ... On three separate occasions, the Iowa National Resource Commission, a governor-appointed board that manages the state's deer herd, shot down the city's plans, primarily because of its reluctance for a public hunt... NRC indicated that it would approve a plan including a sharpshooting element only if it was followed by four years of "meaningful" bow hunts ... One of largest timber sales in Pisgah National Forest now open for public comment August 5, 2019 North Carolina, Citizen-Times ... not just a timber sale, but aims to address change in the forest needed to meet the Forest Service’s mission of sustaining the health, diversity ... will also include permanent wildlife fields, which means removing stumps after logging so that they don’t regenerate, and seeding the fields with vegetation grouse, turkey, elk and deer like... How to avoid and protect mountain lions in Sonoma County August 4, 2019 California, Sonoma Index-Tribune ...the preferred meal of hungry lions is deer. The county study shows that deer account for more than 75% of what they eat. Lions are also opportunist predators, which means if they can’t take deer, they will take skunks, racoons, turkeys and other small animals... Proposed ban on feeding Pennsylvania wildlife riles some in the Pittsburgh region August 4, 2019 Tribune-Review ... “Disease transmission is probably at the forefront of the issues related to wildlife feeding. Habituation is another,” ... In 2016, an estimated 59.1 million Americans engaged in some form of wildlife watching tied to wildlife feeding ... “A lot of people just enjoy the aesthetics of having deer in the yard. They like to feed deer so they can see deer,” ... |
|
|