North Carolina Deer News  Deer populations blunted by disease May 18, 2013 North Carolina, StarNewsOnline.com ... State deer biologist Evin Stanford said the harvest decline that occurred across most of the state resulted from an outbreak of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, which has become widespread throughout the Southeast and Midwest. The statewide deer harvest of 167,249 is the lowest since 2006-07 ... Citing new information on deer antler spray, PGA Tour drops case against Singh April 30, 2013 Washington Post, North Carolina ... The PGA Tour dropped its doping case against Vijay Singh on Tuesday based on new information from the World Anti-Doping Agency, which said using deer antler spray is no longer prohibited because it contains such small amounts of of a growth hormone factor ... States set sights on lifting Sunday hunting bans April 27, 2013 North Carolina, USA Today ...Lawmakers and hunting advocates in North Carolina and three other states are working to change "blue laws" that ban hunting on Sunday. Eleven states prohibit the sport on Sunday ... In Connecticut, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is backing a bill that would allow Sunday deer hunting with bows, said Dennis Schain, the agency's communications director. He said it would help manage the deer population... Why Predator Control Matters For Deer Populations April 3, 2013 North Carolina, Bowhunting Magazine ... There was no coyote season in North Carolina when I was in grad school. However, coyotes are now so common throughout North Carolina that the state just changed its regulations to allow night hunting... predator populations have expanded even as acres of available habitat decreased significantly. It doesn’t take a scientist to figure out that more predators on less land likely results in more interactions ... Coping with coyotes: Residents speak out; bill seeks changes March 29, 2013 North Carolina, Lexington Dispatch ... Coyotes in southern states also eat lots of deer, which has in turn frustrated many hunters across North Carolina... Sen. Stan Bingham, R-Davidson, introduced legislation earlier this month that would allow landowners and lessees to trap coyotes on their property year-round... Landis residents can hunt deer with bow in town March 5, 2013 North Carolina, Salisbury Post ... Residents will be able to bow hunt deer on private property within town limits but they can't hunt on town property. The board decided Monday to proceed with a letter of intent to participate in the 2014 urban archery season ... Alderman Tony Hilton ... pushed for the option to bow hunt ... Alderman Roger Safrit was one who didn’t wholeheartedly agree with hunting on town property because of any liability issues... Duke Forest, An Inhumane Activity March 2, 2013 North Carolina, The Durham News ... Ms. Yates offers an array of alternatives to the deer overpopulation, including immunocontraceptives (which many of us had not known were available), and she suggests that Duke Forest would be an ideal spot for deer contraception research, rather than continuing its present employment of bow hunters, and closing the area for those of us who love to walk its trails. Other highly effective methods of handling deer overpopulation include reducing speed limits, fencing, deer repellent sprays, noise/sound/whistle devices for automobiles, and sprinkler or sound systems for gardens... Duke Forest, On The War On Deer February 27, 2013 North Carolina, Chapelboro.com ... a column by Karin Yates ... she suggests that Duke Forest would be an ideal spot for deer contraception research, rather than continuing its present employment of bow hunters ... I checked with a former bow-hunter who gave up the sport because of the large number of injuries it inflicts, and he estimates that 50% is a conservative figure. He still hunts but only with guns, and for this reason... Wake Forest lets arrows fly to control deer population February 20, 2013 North Carolina, WRAL.com The Wake Forest Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday night to allow bow hunting of deer. Proponents say it's a practical measure ... archers can hunt for deer on privately owned land at least 5 acres in size ... Any bow hunter also must have all required state permits ... ... killed 75 animals, the fewest since the hunt began five years ago ... Duke (Unitversity) doesn’t know how many deer live in the forest, which has a lot of “very edgy” areas close to residential areas where animals may travel back and forth... UNC biology professor Robert Peet... said. “I wish they were killing more deer... They have decreased the density of seedlings and saplings,” ... Supplemental feeding helps deer in the winter February 11, 2013 North Carolina, North Carolina Sportman Foods high in protein, carbohydrates and fats — nuts, berries and flowers — go a long way, but, these foods are short-lived... Browse from a variety of trees, shrubs and vines are important in winter, such as: maples, yellow poplar, birch, dogwood, crab apple, blackberry, ash, sassafras, Japanese Honeysuckle, viburnum, wild grape and green briar. ... Duke Forest, Our illogical war on deer February 9, 2013 North Carolina, The Durham News, Karin Yates ... I recently witnessed a buck lying down in a yard in Chapel Hill with an arrow protruding form his left hind quarter... It is important for us to understand that deer do not “carry” or “spread” Lyme disease. In fact, deer provide a buffer between the host (white-footed mouse) and humans by “collecting” the ticks on themselves. According to John Rohm of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, “Reducing deer density by X will not = X percentage reduction in Lyme disease cases. ... Deer should not be blamed for the current Lyme disease situation. Integrated pest management would be more effective than focusing solely on deer.” North Carolina Deer Held Illegally in Burke County Moved to Nature and Science Facility February 8, 2013 OutdoorHub.com ... The deer has been held in an approximately 10-foot by 12-foot chain-link pen since it was removed from its natural habitat as a fawn... Though fawns may look abandoned and alone, most often they are just waiting for the doe to return from foraging for food... Durham considers opening season on deer February 2, 2013 North Carolina, Durham News Special bow seasons for deer are open now in 37 North Carolina towns, including Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, in part for sport and in larger part to cull the overabundant animals that devour gardens, encounter automobiles and spread Lyme disease [deer density generally not correlated with Lyme] ... The state Wildlife Resources Commission established an urban archery season in 2007... Woman Who Rescued Fawn 'Can't Have the Deer,' Official Says February 1, 2013 North Carolina, ABC News Nancy Reese, of Morganton, N.C., rescued a fawn from the side of road last June and has cared for it ever since, helping it to regain strength... “A lot of people know I have this deer. Somebody called and told on me,” she said. It is illegal in North Carolina to keep a deer in captivity, so wildlife officers paid Reese a visit... Deer meeting draws big crowd from Columbus January 25, 2013 North Carolina, Whiteville News Reporter Farmers Manage Deer (FMD) is a cooperative effort between the Wildlife Federation, Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), and HuntNC Farmland, a program through the N.C. Department of Agriculture... Thousands of deprivation permits are issued to farmers across the state every year, Gardner[QDMA] explained, but those deer are often wasted, if the landowner doesn’t use the meat or give it to neighbors and family... FMD could provide an outlet for—and funding to process—some of that meat... Initial deer numbers show decline January 20, 2013 North Carolina, Asheville Citizen-Times ... Statewide, it is down 3 percent, with 139,909 deer killed, a decrease from 143,873 in 2011.... The state’s total deer herd is estimated at 1.35 million, McVey said. The northeastern part of the state has the highest density of deer, with some 45 deer per square mile. The mountains have a much lower density, with 15 deer per square mile... Bald Head Island finishes deer cull January 11, 2013 North Carolina, WWAY NewsChannel 3 ... It's the first step in the village's plan to launch a birth control program for the animals ...The BHI Conservancy is helping organize and raise the roughly $60,000 in private donations needed for the first year of operations ... first-year operations will focus on darting and immunizing a number of does ... the BHI Conservancy asked the village to conduct a small cull of the herd this year, especially focused on reducing the number of does, but also maintaining the doe-to-buck ratio. Tobacco trust fund to fund farmer-hunter program January 11, 2013 North Carolina, Whiteville News Reporter ... Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) ... N.C. Wildlife Federation, and other groups to create the Farmers Manage Deer project... The organizations pooled their efforts to obtain a grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund to help farmers find another revenue source with the loss of tobacco revenues.... create new sustainable income for farmers, offer hunters more harvest opportunities, and help feed the hungry in local communities. Bald Head Island, BHI deer cull could wrap by week's end January 10, 2013 North Carolina, Port City Daily ... the cull is targeting roughly 20 female deer to reduce the local herd’s population enough for a proposed birth-control program.... BHIC explained it is working in partnership with the village, and with residents opposed to the cull routine, to implement a non-lethal alternative. The proposal: “immunocontraception,” or the administration of birth control drugs to keep the population level... hope to administer by 2014 a drug called GonaCon ... Farmers Manage Deer Program January 2, 2013 North Carolina, North Carolina Cooperative ... For two weeks during the fall 2013 deer hunting season the North Carolina Wildlife Federation will lease land from row crop farmers and recruit sportsmen. Hunters will harvest deer according to a property-specific plan with excess venison donated to charity. Deer season comes to a close December 26, 2012 North Carolina, News & Observer ... “The bucks are pretty much done. All the rut is over with now,” said Greg Batts, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wildlife biologist for District 3 ... We haven’t had any hemorrhagic disease problems in this area like we did last year, so our numbers are just what they would be in a normal year.” Deer-vehicle collisions a problem with no easy solution December 17, 2012 North Carolina, Jefferson Post ... A 2008 study from Utah State University surveyed the effectiveness of DVC prevention techniques, finding no definite link between deer population and number of collisions. The key factors are likely “differences in deer population densities and dynamics between study areas,” the study found... Communities trying to reduce DVCs should lower speed limits, clear vegetation and other visual obstructions along roadways, and install effective signage, the study advised. A test of new animal-activated warning signals in Switzerland was found to reduce DVCs by 80 percent. Emerald Isle officials say no plans for a deer hunt November 16, 2012 North Carolina, Jacksonville Daily News ... After counts that put the deer populations at highs of 149 deer in the fall of 2009 and an estimated 174 deer in the fall of 2011, the town sought depredation permits from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to allow controlled hunts within the town by bow and arrow... From January to February 2010 ... the elimination of 11 deer... The latest estimate is a population of 141 ... Deer management program creates opportunities for hunters, farmers November 11, 2012, North Carolina, Jacksonville Daily News ... “We have calculated the density of deer per county and based off of that number we are able to determine a quota of deer to be hunted per farm,” said Guy Gardner. “This program creates an opportunity to improve the farmer’s crops and presents a hunting opportunity.” According to the Gardners, deer consume anywhere from $30 to $50 million in crop output in North Carolina annually, with an estimated 1.2 million deer populating the state... NC commission sets up task force on deer farming November 10, 2012 North Carolina, San Francisco Chronicle ... the panel tabled proposed changes that would have expanded importation of deer and licensing of deer farming... Emerald Isle considers deer hunt November 7, 2012 North Carolina, Carolinacoastonline ... town commissioners are set to discuss whether to repeat in early 2013 the “controlled” hunt that killed 17 deer in town in January and February. Town Manager Frank Rush said Friday he has scheduled ... discussion for the board meeting on Tuesday, which will begin at 7 p.m. in the meeting room in town hall... Town Manager Frank Rush said ... The board approved the controversial 2012 hunt after the state Wildlife Resources Commission had counted 174 deer in town in the fall of 2011. This fall, Rush said Friday, the WRC estimated the population at 141... Cherokee hopes bounty will help rein in pesky coyote population November 7, 2012 North Carolina, Waynesville Smoky Mountain News ...the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian’s Fisheries and Wildlife Department will begin doling out $25 bounties to enrolled tribal members for each coyote they shoot ... coyotes are seen as a non-native newcomer — and at odds with deer. Some biologists differ on whether coyotes belong in the ecosystem here. Coyotes migrated to Western North Carolina to fill the void left by wolves and mountain lions ... Summer/Fall Hemorrhagic Disease Outbreak Hurts NC Deer November 1, 2012 North Carolina, Hcpress ... epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) ... “It’s by far the biggest impact we’ve ever seen in the state here,” said Chris Kreh, District 7 wildlife biologist with NCWRC. He added that in around 30 of the western N.C. counties there have been over 1,500 confirmed reports of the disease since the outbreak began. “And that’s just the ones we know about,” he said. “That’s a small percentage, I’m sure, of the actual mortality. Normally if we had 200 reports we would call that a bad year.” . | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. North Carolina data: Deer population estimated at 1.2 to 1.35 million in 2012, about the same as the 1.3 million estimate for 2011 (estimate from North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission) Other useful links: - North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources - North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries - North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission - Mission Statement: The mission of the Division of Wildlife Management is to monitor the health and status of wildlife populations, develop and administer programs for their management and wise use, and when necessary help resolve human-wildlife interactions in a manner which will assure a diverse wildlife resource for future generations of North Carolinians. Risenc.org Frustrated with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission? Share your view with others. Deer Management in North Carolina [PDF slide show] January, 2012 North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Division of Wildlife Management. Evin Stanford. |
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