Examples of Non Lethal Deer Population Management Methods
Also see contraception, sterilization, and relocation, and dogs for deer management
Fencing is very effective, but can be expensive. Fencing and deer repellents. The city of Sequim, Washington, received a state grant to fit their elk with GPS collars with “virtual fence” capability. Communities and state agencies have created food plots or fed deer outside of towns to draw deer away from problem areas. Although some have proposed reintroducing predators to control urban populations, safety concerns generally make this infeasible, but the effects of a predator (known as the ecology of fear in the literature) can be safely reproduced by using herding dogs, demonstrated successfully by several cases in Canada. Some wildlife experts suggest that more restrictive leash laws for dogs in recent years have been a factor in encouraging deer to migrate into urban areas and that trained dogs can be used to push deer out of areas where they are causing problems. Dogs for Deer Management. News and information about contraception, sterilization, and relocation are on this page, a few paragraphs down.
News and Other Information
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Hendersonville tables idea of culling deer herds to control population March 20, 2024, Tennessee, YAHOO!News
... the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency ... TWRA ... advised the city they were allowed to cull as long as they followed the right process... educating the public after conducting extensive research on other potential solutions, including control burns, sterilization, and relocating the deer ...
Missoula 'mitigates' urban deer population; other cities cull February 12, 2024 Montana, Missoula Current
... Most Missoula residents wouldn’t bat an eye at the sight of a buck walking down the sidewalk or a group of deer feeding on foliage in their front yard... “In order to protect anything that we plant (in the city), we put an exclosure cage around those plants for a few years until they’re large enough to withstand the deer. So, we basically just mitigate against urban deer,” said Jeff Gicklhorn, Missoula’s Conservation Lands Program Manager ...
Fish and Game begins to feed elk at the Bullwhacker feed site west of Ketchum January 21, 2024 Idaho Fish and Game
..The site was established with the intention of keeping elk away from the communities of Ketchum and Sun Valley. While many think that feed sites supplement food on winter range, the Bullwhacker feed site purpose is to lure elk away from local communities where conflicts can occur... Elk are fed a specially formulate alfalfa pellet ...
Wild deer find refuge in urban habitats in northwest Arkansas October 24, 2023 KUAF
... An overabundance of nuisance deer which began to appear fifteen years ago, prompted voters to approve a limited number of urban bow hunting permits. “I think they found that really didn't work well inside the city,” Evans said. Because residents opposed to hunting deer banged pots and pans to drive them away from hunters’ tree stands in Eureka. The city has since outlawed feeding deer within city limits, which has resulted in a population decline, Evans said, citing deer-car collision data...
When deer come to feed, sacrificing some plants may save others October 5, 2023 Maryland, Farm Progress
... Macaulay says the research shows him growers may want to do more to keep deer at the edges of their fields, either by growing a sacrificial crop or even mowing under the trees to allow more sun to penetrate and more foliage to grow...
Brutal winter takes toll on wildlife across South Dakota April 12, 2023, SDPB Radio
... the state purchases feed from local farmers to lure wildlife away from livestock acreage. These so-called short stop feeding sites essentially provide feed where large herds of deer migrate. The deer adapt to harsh winter conditions by gathering together in large herds – sometimes 100 animals or more..,
Norton Shores, Deer fencing chosen over a targeted cull in Norton Shores to help protect property January 17, 2023 Michigan, MLive
... would be cheaper, and possibly more effective, than a targeted deer kill known as a “cull.” "Conversely, a deer cull could only be done on public property, which in turn could force the deer away from the public property and onto the adjacent private properties,” Woodcock wrote...
Whitetail deer a nuisance for row crop farmers January 10, 2023, Alabama, St. Clair News-Aegis
... Eddie McGriff has had success planting sunn hemp as a buffer or border trap crop for deer ... In order for sunn hemp to work as a trap crop, it must be planted before the cash crop. This is done so that it is growing and attractive to deer while the cotton crop is being established... this year they plan to use electric fence in conjunction with sunn hemp on the side of the field where deer enter from the woods ...
Big game can handle Idaho winters, but Fish and Game steps in if emergencies arise December 2, 2022 Idaho.gov
... In some situations, emergency feeding is required ... Fish and Game will sometimes use alternative food sources to dissuade deer and elk from feeding on a landowner’s stored agricultural crops ..,
Jamestown, Local Resident Suggests City Council Bring In Deer Doctor October 20, 2022 New York, Post Journal
... Wigren suggested the City Council bring in Sandy Baker, the “deer doctor,” to assess the situation and offer guidance ... She teaches about deer behavior, how to select plants wisely, choosing effective repellants and deterrents, finding out what fencing works and why, and she can help develop a customized plan for this area ...
West Seneca tackles deer problem, starting with educating humans July 11, 2022 New York, Buffalo News
... the number of car-deer collisions jumped to 195 in 2019, up from 170 the previous year... last year, there were 167 collisions ...Education ... would be one of the first parts of the plan to be implemented over the next 18 months... might allow higher fences ...
Medina will not cull deer through lethal means July 5, 2022 Ohio, Cleveland.com
... Last week, City Council’s Special Legislation Committee passed an ordinance on to the full council that would enact a nonlethal plan modeled after a conflict management and coexistence plan from the Medina County Humane Society...
Medina considers allowing crossbow, longbow deer hunting in city limits June 28, 2022 Ohio, FOX8 Cleveland
... We have 50 to 60 or 55 deer per square mile ... City council voted against the proposal during Tuesday evening’s meeting. However, they did agree to adopt a sustainable, non-lethal deer management plan...
P.C. council looking at next steps for deer management June 28, 2022 Alberta, The Canadian Press
...Okotoks ended up implementing a robust education program for residents and visitors, such as what behaviour inappropriately habituates wildlife (petting, feeding), what deterences can protect property (predator urine, water sprayers, plants to cultivate that deer won’t eat) and publishing information on deer behaviour (rutting season, information on fawns, how to tell when a deer feels threatened)...
Idaho Fish and Game open winter feeding site for elk west of Ketchum December 27, 2021 KTVB
... typically feeds more than 125 elk every year... has been in use since the 1980's and is intended to keep elk away from local communities in Ketchum and Sun Valley...
Declining deer population likely due to natural regulation June 1, 2021 Japan, Science Daily
... Scientists have shown that the population of the Yakushima sika deer has declined due to natural factors, suggesting that the population can be regulated without culling.
Okotoks council approves deer management strategy May 12, 2021 Alberta, Calgary Herald
... begun a temporary fencing pilot project to allow homeowners to further cordon off their properties to keep deer out... “I know a lot of the residents in town enjoy having them there ... other actions that will be taken as part of the management strategy include prohibiting intentional and unintentional feeding, education, hazing, speed zonechanges ...
Pesky urban deer prompt Alberta town to seek ways to control population April 14, 2021 Alberta, CBC.ca
... allows people to raise their backyard fences up to about 2.3 metres (7.5 feet) which will keep the deer out ... This way we get to preserve our gardens, the deer are deprived of food, the deer aren't hurt, doesn't cost the council a penny...
Fish and Game says elk depredation prevention efforts are working August 5, 2020 Idaho, 6 On Your Side
... non-lethal methods of preventing elk depredation are starting to pay off... hey're focusing on non-lethal methods like hazing that uses noisemakers and other methods to scare elk away from crops...
South Euclid committee believes deer education is better than culling February 26, 2019 Ohio, The Plain Dealer
... Said Councilman-at-Large Jason Russell: "I've never been a fan of deer culling. I don't think we should be killing the deer because they ate our hosta or evergreens." Ward 4 Councilwoman Jane Goodman does not support culling. She said that if people respect deer, particularly during mating season, there is no danger...
With food sources covered by snow, deer take to livestock feed supplies February 23, 2019 South Dakota, AberdeenNews.com
... a couple hundred “starving” deer have taken refuge on his land... put some hay out there to eat so they don’t come into the farmyard ... putting corn out there for them to eat can have a negative affect on them,” Klosowski said. “It can make them sick or kill them...
Bloomington, Deer cull not the answer to overpopulation October 10, 2018 Indiana, Indiana Daily Student
... it does not appear that non-lethal methods would cost substantially more. While it cost $43,000 to kill 62 deer last year, the Deer Task Force said in its 2012 report that contraception and sterilization cost between $600 to $1,000 per deer and that effective fencing can be built for $6 to $8 per foot...
Pepperdine Administration Takes Action to Reduce Deer Population August 27, 2018 California, Pepperdine University Graphic
... The university is working to discourage large deer populations on campus ... Landscaping and maintenance teams are making sure they are not planting vegetation that deer like to eat in student-populated areas. “We’ve also installed deer deterrent systems in flower beds that will spray water all of a sudden, and it startles the deer,” Phillips said. “That’s been really effective to keep our deer population low ...
Deer population a topic in some communities August 17, 2018 Michigan, PetoskeyNews
... there is evidence to indicate the number of deer in most of Northern Michigan is growing... one potential reason for the increase could be that recent winters have been less severe... “It’s an issue, and we just deal with it by not planting flowers the deer will eat,” Center said...
Helena, Just let the dogs out to combat urban deer August 2, 2018 Montana, Bozeman Daily Chronicle
... The city of Helena has spent thousands of dollars to cull its urban deer herd with no end in sight. More than 1,000 deer have been killed there in the past 10 years ... Deer didn’t used to hang out in town. They couldn’t. Dogs would run them off... People in town have even begun shooting the deer with paintball guns...
Belvedere deer plan includes fences, resistant plants March 18, 2018 California, Marin Independent Journal
... Belvedere residents who want to keep the pesky deer from scrounging their yards now have an updated list of recommended deer-resistant plants to choose from ... residents are encouraged to put up deer fences ... subject to design review at City Hall for approval... "the sterilization proposal “was an impossible thing.” ...
Eastport, Wandering herd of deer caught on video in Eastport December 11 2017 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... Bartlett made it clear the committee wasn’t a deer hunting group but rather a deer deterrent group. “We’ve been trying to find all kinds of non-lethal ways to deter deer from doing property damage, whether it’s electric fences or chemical odor deterrents, or there’s now motion-sensitive sprinklers,” he said. “[Just] coming up with a list of non-lethal deterrents for people to try.” ...
Williams Lake creates urban deer brochure May 25, 2017 British Columbia, Williams Lake Tribune
... Rather than pursuing a deer management strategy, staff suggested compiling information and developing an education program for residents on deer proofing their properties. Council approved $3,000 be added to the 2017 operating budget for an education and communication plan ...
Rochester Hills, Deer campaign continues October 4, 2016 Michigan, C&G Newspapers
... Based on aerial counts taken last February, DeVoe estimates the city’s deer population to be between 1,200 and 1,800... residents concerned about deer eating their shrubbery should contact the advisory committee. ... a packet of information about how to manage deer in gardens... A campaign to increase drivers’ awareness of deer on the roads has helped lower the number of crashes ...
Hazing deer a nighttime affair August 4, 2016 Washington, Columbia Basin Herald
... When a deer is spotted, the vehicle is stopped and the deer convinced to leave the field... alfalfa fields more enticing as the surrounding sagebrush ... At our disposal for hazing are whistles, a paint gun, air signals, spotlights and 12 gauge rubber buckshot...
Medina bucks trend on deer culling with new management plan March 10, 2016 Ohio, cleveland.com
... Unlike a number of Northeast Ohio communities that are turning to bow hunting ... Medina is asking its residents to cooperate in a citywide effort to make its streets and back yards less hospitable ... Special Legislation Committee outlined a three-pronged approach to managing deer. It includes monitoring the deer population, educating the public, and offering a community survey for those experiencing property damage...
Deer population in ENC may be due to development February 17, 2016 North Carolina, WNCT
... Increased development may be having a visible impact on the appearance of deer in residential areas ... N.C. Wildlife Commission Biologist Chris Kent ... suggest that deer have nowhere else to go ... spraying “deer repellant”, planting items that deer do not like to eat, or putting up fencing to keep the animals out...
Keeping wildlife off tarmac is big job at Pittsburgh International Airport January 17, 2016 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
... Just shooting them [deer] when we see them wouldn’t be an effective way to maintain passenger safety ...A single line of chain-link fencing topped with strands of barbed wire surrounds the entire airport....
Iroquoia Heights’ deer carnage ‘reasonable,’ HCA boss says January 14, 2016 Ontario, Hamilton Spectator
... believes the deer population at Iroquoia Heights will gradually drop because people aren’t feeding them like they did in the past... in 2011 by an advisory committee that considered potential solutions ... including a hunt, which it rejected... favoured a host of non-lethal approaches, starting with an education campaign to discourage neighbours from feeding deer and a city bylaw banning the practice ...
The next step in getting a handle on our deer herd (editorial) December 6, 2015 New York, Staten Island Advance
... The federal report recommends and "adaptive integrated approach,".., it encompasses the non-lethal methods that are preferred by almost everyone ... deer-proof fences and barricades, supplemental feeding to reduce damage to greenery, birth control, relocation and modification of the deer's behavior, such as by using visual stimuli and noise... [Read the plan]
Sioux City, Certain plants, fencing and repellants can keep deer out of yards, gardens November 26, 2015 Iowa, Sioux City Journal
... The feeding ban seems to be helping control the deer population, which is on the decline in Sioux City, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The DNR conducts an overnight count in the same area of Woodbury County each year. Twenty-eight deer were seen in 2014, down from 47 counted in 2012...
Got elk? Get paint balls October 23 , 2015 Oregon, Curry Coastal Pilot
... he got a dog. And he trained that dog to chase off the deer... Problem solved! ... their bigger cousins — elk ... suggested a paint-ball gun ... SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT! ...
The elk dispersed. Rapidly ... I’m signing up for paint-ball classes...
River Forest, Deer complaints lead River Forest to consider hunting optionsSeptember 24, 2015 Illinois, Chicago Tribune
... In a letter sent to the village of River Forest by John McCabe of the Forest Preserve District, McCabe said a population management program can only take place with the state's permission... Prior to implementing any management program, McCabe suggests residents construct fences to keep deer off their property as well as install deer-resistant plants...
Are animals invading urban areas? August 2, 2015 North Carolina, Charlotte Observer
... Nils Peterson ... at N.C. State ... noted some adaptive behavior by human residents of new subdivisions. “At first, they become upset when deer eat their ornamental plants. But 20 years down the road, they either have fences or plants that deer won’t eat.” Finding better ways to protect animal habitat and include more swaths of nature in our environment won’t just be good for wildlife. Studies have shown that it improves the quality of life for humans ...
Provo city considering urban deer hunt program July 8, 2015 Utah, Utah Valley 360
... The first step toward a deer hunt in the city was when the council passed a law prohibiting people from feeding deer and other wild animals in the city limits — a requirement of the state, said council attorney Brian Jones...
Ann Arbor, Biologist tells Ann Arbor officials success can be had with non-lethal deer management plan February 6, 2015 Michigan, MLive
... Lance DeVoe, a biologist with the city of Rochester Hills, discussed a non-lethal deer management program created and implemented in his city, arguing low-cost methods such as education of residents and improved road signage have been successful. "There's been about a 40 percent decrease in car-deer accidents and a 75 percent decrease in the complaints coming into the city," ...
USU club aims to help locals deer-proof yards November 26, 2014 Utah, The Herald Journal
... the Utah State University Berryman Club, an arm of The Berryman Institute, a national organization based in the department of wildland resources at USU... Good examples of natives that deer won’t destroy include junipers, sumac, sage, mountain sage and mountain mahogany ... These plants both provide deer with winter food without harming the plant ...
North Salt Lake homeowners freaking out over deer September 8, 2014 Utah, Ogden Standard-Examiner
.... the city council has approved eight-foot-high fences, insuring that only the most athletic of deer can compete for your garden vegetables... Besides, this is as it should have been from the beginning — not fencing in the animals, like at that depressing “zoo” at Lagoon, but fencing in the humans instead...
Medford, Deer fencing issue debated in Medford August 21, 2014 New Jersey, South Jersey Local News
... township planner Scott Taylor came up with recommendations that would allow 8 feet high open deer netting in back and side yards. Standards would require the netting be black or dark brown material that is specifically designed for the eye to look through and beyond it...
Haworth to take steps to limit deer on private property May 22, 2014 New Jersey, North Jersey
... An amendment to local land use laws calls for increasing the allowable height of a mesh fence to help keep deer from homeowners' backyard... Hakim suggested up to 9 feet because deer typically do not jump higher than 7 feet...
Paintball, Oh, deer Grand Forks September 16, 2010. The Boundary Sentinel by Mona Mattei
... Professor Colleen St. Clair, from the University of Alberta is interested in working with the community to try an adversive conditioning program using paint ball guns to discourage the deer from being in the town areas. Granby Wilderness Society representative, Jenny Coleshill, agreed to contact St. Clair about the possible program....
FAQs about the Ann Arbor Deer Cull
... Non-lethal methods, like those used in nearby Rochester Hills. Rochester Hills had one cull in 2009, and their residents were horrified at the outcome. Ever since then, they've been using non-lethal methods including education, signage, and a feeding ban-- and they report being happy with the results. Their city wildlife biologist reports their deer-vehicle collisions and their citizen complaints about deer have decreased...