Non-Lethal Deer Population Control for Urban and Suburban Environments
See below for the latest news updates Also see Deer Fence, Deer Resistant Plants and Repellents, Transportation Safety, Deer and Lyme Disease, Contraception Research, Dogs for Deer Management, a deer sterilization project at Cornell, the Botstiber Institute.
Deer Culls used to manage suburban deer create a public safety issue and provide only a short term solution, requiring a perpetual killing program. Examples of the Perpetual, Annual Deer Cull. Many people don't want their neighborhood deer to be slaughtered. Deer are edge dwellers, living at the interface of the meadow and the thick forest. A lush suburban habitat can support more deer, the carrying capacity, than a forest.
Communities wanting fewer deer can reduce the carrying capacity using fences, deer resistant landscaping and repellents. Deer fence is a good long-term solution because it reduces the food available to the deer and that will reduce their population over time. Examples of other non-lethal approaches. Information below for contraception, sterilization, and relocation. A ban on feeding deer is often a first approach, sometimes a required approach. Also a deer population survey.
Deer culls using sharpshooters or bow hunters may not be feasible in suburban environments because of public safety concerns. Bow hunting is becoming more popular, but even under the best conditions a significant number of deer are likely to be wounded [graphic examples] and not recovered by archers, 50 percent rates are reported in the literature.
Although many hunters will not participate in an urban cull, considering it an extermination rather than a hunt, cities often find others willing to pay a license fee to participate. Professional sharpshooters improve public safety and kill efficiency, but costs run from about $300 to $1,000 per deer. Below a video of the trap and kill method used by many deer exterminators, including Cornell.
Deer respond to a cull with increased fertility, producing more twins and triplets, and a larger proportion of female fawns that will further increase the deer population -- the Rebound effect in the figure above [research support] --compensatory reproduction, also observed in mountain lion and coyote populations.
Light to moderate hunting, as in many urban culls, does not change the long-run total deer population in an otherwise stable environment. More dramatic culls, keeping the deer population at about 50 or 60 percent of the carrying capacity, achieves the maximum sustainable yield, the largest number of deer than can be killed annually while maintaining the population. Also, other deer attracted by available food may migrate into the area, although suburban does have very small ranges and migration rates will depend on local factors. A sterile doe will discourage new deer from entering her territory, the "placeholder" effect, and eat food that would result in more fawns from fertile does.
The result of a cull is a future, perpetual negative cash outlay for communities and lots of slaughtered deer. Cost analysis of urban deer cull programs typically ignores the future cost of maintaining the program and also ignores the intrinsic value of the life of each deer. The January 2018 issue of Wildlife Professional advises that it is a myth that wildlife populations need to be hunted or harvested to control populations [p. 28].
Confusing the public debate are the wide range of unsupported optimal deer density recommendations presented to the public as scientific management goals (deer density and forest regeneration) and the concept that deer culls can generally be used to reduce the risk of Lyme disease, contrary to most of the current research. Some states are requiring hunting to be the only method of deer control in suburban areas, ignoring local local decisions. In all cases, decision makers should be aware that they are designing the future herd based on the management method.
News and reports below about three types of population control:
contraception, sterilization, and relocation.
Deer Contraception
Products: Gonacon, Spayvac a PZP (porcine zona pellucid) Cost per deer can be in the two hundred dollar range, but will vary depending local labor costs, number of deer and related issues. Birth control needs to be reapplied after a few years, up to six years for Spayvac, but the time is being extended as the technology develops. Success rates are often reported to be in the 90 to 95 percent range. This approach generally has a lower risk of deer fatalities than sterilization.
A private effort to experiment with contraception in British Columbia. The U.S. Humane Society provides this service, contact information and an example proposal. The nonprofit Science and Conservation Center in Billings, Montana, has many years experience working with horses, deer, and other animals. On July 6, 2017, the EPA approved an application to register ZonaStat-H, a fertility control vaccine that will provide a humane management tool for managers of deer populations.
News
Commenters suggest less feeding, more hunting, deer birth control for herd near Hawley February 7, 2024 Pennsylvania, Yahoo
...The Humane Society of the United States carried an article about deer birth control in 2022, involving vaccination of deer... "The deer population fell by 50% over five years," ... Regarding deer birth control, the PGC states in "A Guide to Community Deer Management in Pennsylvania" that "Current birth control practices are costly and ineffective in controlling free-ranging deer populations over a large area." ...
With numbers increasing, Bald Head Island deer might soon be back on 'the Pill' November 21, 2024 North Carolina, AOL
... The program proved successful and was discontinued in 2020 after helping keep the island's deer population below the 200 animal target set by biologists ... But recent camera and spotlight surveys by the conservancy show deer numbers creeping back up ... "They didn't support the culling, so they were willing to pay for a different management approach." ...
Immunocastration caused dysfunction of Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus)
- Animal Biology, 2024
... This study used immunocastration to capture four Père David’s deer ... in Jiangsu Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve ... shows that using immune castration to control the population of Père David’s deer may disrupt their cell apoptosis and disturb the cell cycle, leading to abnormal pathways and promoting the onset of many diseases...
Beachwood will likely cull deer again this season, but examine a sterilization plan for next year September 27, 2024 Ohio, Cleveland.com
... City Council would like to explore sterilization as a method of reducing the Beachwood deer population, but it is too late to do so this year... According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the sterilization portion of the program can currently only be undertaken as part of a research project ...
Tega Cay granted permission to cull more deer January 18, 2024 South Carolina, YAHOO!News
... In the meantime, city council is waiting for Clemson University to approve a birth control method for deer overpopulation. Deer would be shot with darts full of PZP, which is a fertility-control vaccine...
Oak Bay, Black-tailed Deer Population Density Estimate and Response to Immuno-Contraception Trial in Oak Bay, B.C. Interim Report: December 2023 British Columbia
... In 2019 and 2020, we administered IC to 120 female black-tailed deer, and applied booster vaccines in 2021 to 71 previously treated deer. We compared the adult deer population density in September 2018 to September 2021 & 2022 to evaluate the effect of three years of treatment with IC. Preliminary results indicate that mean population density estimates have decreased from 14.14 adult deer/km2 in 2018 to 9.82 adult deer/km2 in 2022. We anticipate further reductions in the adult deer population in September 2023 ...
The buck stops here: Tega Cay will start culling 'out of control' deer, and using birth control December 19, 2023 South Carlina, WUNC
... Tega Cay City Council has been looking at reducing the population either by killing some with sharpshooters, or via a proposal from a local wildlife group to shoot the deer with birth control. At their meeting Monday night, City Council members decided: Why not try both? ...
Tegan Cay Leaders Continue To Weigh Options To Deal With Deer Overpopulation Issue November 21, 2023 South Carolina, WCCB Charlotte
... the state has approved the possible use of PZP, a type of birth control for deer. They are shot with darts with the pregnancy blocker. Members of the Tega Cay Wildlife Conservation Society are trying to convince city leaders to go with that option...
Wildlife nonprofit presents other option for controlling deer pop. in Tega Cay November 2, 2023 South Carolina, CN2 News
... a group called Tega Cay Wildlife Conservation Society which is presenting another option ... called PZP and the Conservation Society says it’s a natural protein that would be darted into the female deer and will cause the deer’s immune system to prevent pregnancy, breaking the cycle of more deer being born. Officials say it is 80 to 90 percent effective...
Pittsburgh introduces plan to cull deer population with controlled bow hunt in 2 parks August 29, 2023 CBS News
... "A lot of people have asked, 'Why can't you use sort of a chemical birth control, some other options for that?' But the reality is that the population of the deer itself has gotten to where those mitigation measures are less effective, are not as effective until we're able to lower those numbers," said Maria Montaño, communications director of the mayor's office...
Effects of pharmacological castration on endocrinological and chemical profiles in captive red and fallow deer - The European Zoological Journal, 2023
... We placed a subcutaneous implant of deslorelin acetate (4.7 mg) on four male red deer (Cervus elaphus) and two male fallow deer (Dama dama) (N = 6) living together in a mixed-sex and -species group housed at a wildlife rescue centre in Tuscany, Italy ... In conclusion, our preliminary findings suggest that deslorelin acetate, causing a decrease of testosterone level and impacting the chemical profile of odour secretions, could work as a non-invasive contraception approach in human-managed populations of deer...
Could immunocontraception be used to control Ohio deer population? Aprl 8, 2023 Ohio, WDTN
... commissioners for Mill Creek MetroParks is expected to make a decision about deer culling... Geoff Westerfield works for ODNR ... “If fertility control worked, they would go back to that,” Westerfield said... Three studies outside Ohio have shown strong evidence that these vaccines can decrease the deer population ... The one in Maryland showed a 50% decrease in deer population over six years... [another one in San Jose]
Effects of pharmacological castration on endocrinological and chemical profiles in captive red and fallow deer 2023 University of Wolverhampton
... In wildlife captive management, contraception is highly desirable due to inbreeding risk and needed control of intra- and inter-specific aggressions. Deer, for which surgical castration can cause abnormal growth of the antlers, are suitable candidates for pharmacological castration... , our preliminary findings suggest that deslorelin acetate, causing a decrease of testosterone level and impacting the chemical profile of odour secretions, could work as a non-invasive contraception approach in human-managed populations of deer...
Sterilization
While spaying can be expensive, $500 to 1,500 per deer, because of high labor costs, local volunteers can bring costs down. In many states, deer contraception is illegal. Sterilization is typically 97 to 100 percent effective and only needs to be done once, but may result in the death or injury of some deer . This field surgery requires more supplies and equipment than contraception so easier access to deer such as through small roads becomes an issue. Tubal ligation requires less intervention than spaying or ovariectomy, but will result in does going into heat which may attract bucks into the area. Ovariectomy avoids this problem. A paper summarizing successes.
Follow the progress of Maryland's first deer sterilization program at Wildlife Rescue. A recent case example from New York. A program in Clifton, Ohio. A project focusing on bucks in Staten Island, New York. A website with video of the sterilization project in San Jose, California, where the deer population has declined more than desired. The project is described in this peer reviewed paper which also investigates an anomalous result from a sterilization project at Cornell.
News
'I'm not joyful.' Tega Cay to conduct another round of deer culling despite mayor's wishes January 22, 2025 South Carolina, Queen City News
... the City Council approved on a split vote to continue its deer culling operation, seeking to kill 80 more from the local population. In the first round that began last fall, city leaders reported that 80 have been killed, and another 200 sterilized...
Princeton Deer Management Plan Is Stalled December 18, 2024 New Jersey, Town Topics
... Princeton is looking to become the first town in the state to gain a permit to use fertility control to manage its deer population... Town Topics reached out to F&W requesting information about Princeton’s application and specifically F&W’s apparent stonewalling and opposition to non-lethal deer management, but had received no response by press time Tuesday...
Lesniak Calls On Murphy And LaTourette To Stop Inhumane Fish & Game Council's Deer Management December December 11, 2024 New Jersey, Insider NJ
... Former Senator Raymond Lesniak today sent a message by email to Governor Murphy and DEP Commissioner LaTourette to take control of the Fish & Game Council’s Deer Management Program. In the message Lesniak cited information from Princeton Mayor Mark Freda detailing the Fish & Game Council’s refusal to consider sterilization as a more effective and certainly more humane approach to deer management as requested by Princeton’s Mayor...
Tega Cay spends quarter million dollars to sterilize out-of-control deer population November 14, 2024 South Carolina, The Herald
... The sterilization of 200 deer came with a price tag of more than a quarter million dollars — more than $1,300 per deer sterilized ... Tega Cay received permission for federal government sharpshooters to cull up to 160 deer earlier this year, but marksmen killed less than a quarter of that amount ...
Video Below: Wildlife company sterilizes 200 female deer in Tega Cay November 7, 2024 Queen City News
Tega Cay completes sterilization of 200 deer November 5, 2024 South Carolina, WCNC-TV Charlotte on MSN.com
... The city said a company it contracted, White Buffalo, successfully sterilized 200 female deer in the city. City council approved the Wildlife Management Plan in August, which also approved killing some of the city's deer population ...
Tega Cay, Hundreds of SC deer to be picked up, sterilized offsite October 15, 2024 South Carolina, Yahoo
... The nonprofit White Buffalo will start picking up 200 female deer on Monday on city property...
Clifton, Doe, A Deer, A (Sterilized) Female Deer February 2, 2024 Ohio, Interlochen Public Radio
... They sterilized deer number 96 while I was there. And Clifton’s deer population has gone down by about 40 percent, which they consider a success. Plus, the whole thing costs a lot less now, partially because there’s only a handful of does to target each year...
Tega Cay, City leaders approve sterilization of 200 deer in Tega Cay August 20, 2024 South Carolina, Yahoo
.... The city unanimously approved the decision ... authorized an organization called White Buffalo to submit the necessary documents and permits to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources ...
New Jersey Town Advances Plan to Surgically Sterilize Individual Deer to Reduce Herd July 15, 2024 Field & Stream
... But before the plan can take effect, it must be approved by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife—which has twice before rejected Princeton’s requests to start a surgical sterilization program ... The current deer density ... is estimated at 43 to 51 deer per square mile...
Princeton Seeks to Add Darts and Surgical Staples to Its Deer-Control Arsenal July 10, 2024 New Jersey, TAPinto
... Princeton Council approved a solution for dealing with the town’s over-population of deer: Surgical sterilization... the town’s deer management contractor, White Buffalo Inc., the sterilization team hopes to treat at least 40 female deer this winter...
Costing nearly $2.5 million, NYC extends Staten Island deer vasectomy program for 5 years July 3, 2024 New York, Staten Island Advance
... New York City data shows an outside-the-box deer control program is paying off, and officials confirmed last week that the effort would continue for another five years... there had been a 60% decrease in deer vehicle collisions and an overall decrease in in black-legged ticks seen on the Island...
Staten Island. At last! Data shows Staten Island deer vasectomy program is paying off. Here’s how. February 17, 2024 New York, Staten Island Advance
... “Since this project began in 2016, there has been a 41% decrease in the total deer population, as well as a 94% reduction in the number of fawn births,” Katrina Toal, deputy director of the NYC Parks Wildlife Unit said. “This data shows that the sterilization study is making a substantial impact on the deer population on Staten Island.” ...
South Euclid, How have sharpshooters and deer sterilization reduced car accidents in South Euclid? February 2, 2024 Ohio, Cleveland.com
... While it is cheaper to shoot deer ($200-$400 per deer) than it is to sterilize them (between $500 to $1,500), there are some good reasons for using both programs. For one, some people enjoy seeing deer around their neighborhood and do not like the idea of people shooting them, Mays said. It’s also not practical or safe to always shoot deer ... In the three years South Euclid ...traffic accidents involving deer in the city have decreased 60% ...
Catalina deer in the crosshairs: Will compromise avert a planned slaughter? February 2, 2024 California, Los Angeles Times on MSN
... After months of intense community outrage over its planned slaughter of thousands of nonnative mule deer, Catalina Island Conservancy officials have indicated that they may be open to considering optional plans, such as relocating the deer and reducing the population through sterilization...
Arlington, No consensus emerges on how to address deer population January 24, 2024 Virginia, Gazette Leader
... responses to the county-government poll ... Surgical sterilization (non-lethal): 32 percent very supportive, 31 percent supportive, 11 percent neutral, 9 percent unsupportive, 15 percent very unsupportive...
Arlington, Animal Welfare League Backs Non-Lethal Approach To Deer In Arlington July 7 2023 Virginia, Patch
... Potential humane solutions to deer management include sterilization, tree caging, humane scare devices such as water sprayers, odor deterrents, or commercial repellents, according to AWLA. Sterilization was particularly effective in Fairfax City, which saw a reduction from an estimated 91 deer per square mile in 2014 to 40 deer per square mile in 2018 ...
Car crashes, Lyme disease, carcasses: What data says about the current state of deer on Staten Island January 21, 2023 New York, Staten Island Advance
official numbers show New York City’s controversial vasectomy program has had its intended effect ... the Department of Parks and Recreation published a population estimate in August putting the deer count at 1,452 — a nearly 30% drop from the project’s start in the middle of 2016 ...
An Archive of More Sterilization Information and News
Relocation, Translocation
A common objection to relocation is that many deer perish as a result, since deer are flight animals and easily stressed by any constraint. A 2008 study in Texas where there had been significant experience with Trap, Transport, and Transplant concludes "reasonable survival rates can be achieved." (see research below). Costs can be as low as $150 to 200 per deer. Wyoming Fish and Game estimated in 2024 that costs range from $100 to $1,000 with translocation used to move deer from high to low density areas.
As the information below suggests, success varies widely depending on circumstances. Significant deer mortality may result from from the difficulty of adjusting to a new environment and the transportation stress, although wild deer are routinely transported for deer research. As with a cull, if there is ample food the remaining deer will respond with increased fertility. Also, the potential of spreading Chronic Wasting or other diseases should be considered and has prompted some states to avoid relocation strategies.
News
Translocation of deer comes to a halt in PTR December 25, 2024 India, The Pioneer
... The Palamu tiger reserve could bring in only 147 deer. The translocation of the remaining 122 hangs in limbo... Now for remaining 122 deer we are to wait for the permission from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India again ...
Video Below: Watch Fish and Game biologists and officers go through the relocation process, from the time the moose is sedated until it ambles off the trailer in its new home, away from the bustle of Boise. November 18, 2024 Idaho
Bull elk found in Pasco safely relocated by Department of Fish and Wildlife September 26, 2024 Washington, Tri-Cities/Yakima News & Weather
... Due to the elk being so close to the highway ... The elk was safely relocated to a wildlife refuge ...
Nandankanan starts Translocation of 200 Spotted Deer To Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary In Balasore August 13, 2024 India, Odisha Diary
... Deers were captured by the non-invasive Boma method and were transported by using a specialized herbivore transport vehicle...
Foresters start relocating deer from crowded Cuttack park to Chandaka rescue centre January 2, 2024 India, The New Indian Express
... Since the deer were in captivity in the city, they will have to be acquainted with the forest environment. They are expected to be released in Chandaka forest in five to six months ...
Cow moose dies after attempt to relocate out of Twin Falls September 14, 2023 Idaho Fish and Game
... Fish and Game staff assembled in preparation of darting the moose for relocation... Unfortunately, while under the influence of the anesthetizing drugs, the moose ran off the walking path and over the rocky cliff onto the Canyon Springs Road where she died...
Wandering bull moose is captured in downtown Santa Fe, moved to habitat in northern New Mexico September 13, 2023 New Mexico, Caledonian Record
... The moose was sedated with a tranquilizer dart and loaded onto a trailer before being evaluated by a Game and Fish Department veterinarian and determined to be in good health...
Moose On The Loose In Laramie Gets Darted, Taken To Snowies July 3, 2023 Wyoming, Cowboy State Daily
... A young bull moose wandered into Laramie early Monday and was tranquilized by game wardens ... The moose was taken to the Snowy Range Mountains and set free...
Moose, Calf Set Up Home Outside Of Day Care In Thayne, Wyoming February 22, 2023 Cowboy State Daily
... “This winter has been extraordinary in a lot of ways. Steady cold temperatures and persistent deep snow. It feels a lot like 2017, which was the worst we’ve seen around here since the winter of 1983-84.” ... Momma moose was shot with a tranquillizer gun first... off to the elk feedground ...
Video Below: Fish & Game will trap, attempt to relocate Cascade town deer. January 26, 2023 Idaho
Another milestone for zoo as sambar deer translocated to distant Dandeli January 12, 2023 Inda, The Hindu
... Dandeli is over 500 km from Mysuru. Understanding the challenges and knowing that the deer are sensitive animals, the zoo management took up the major task and achieved success like in 2019. Nine herbivores were translocated ...
City Zoo to move surplus deer to Dandeli forest November 15, 2022 India, Star of Mysore
... The 52 spotted deer that have been shifted to the Arabithittu Reserve Forest and Wildlife Sanctuary in 2019 are doing good and their population has multiplied to over 150 now... they call the shifting process as a ‘soft release’ where the cage is placed in the animal enclosure for over two months for acclimatisation...
Translocating Captive Female White-tailed Deer 2022, Alabama, Wildlife Research
... Many of these deer get marketed to private landowners with the expectation that introduced deer will enhance genetics in the population, resulting in larger-antlered male deer... We found a 12-month survival rate of 0.54 for translocated deer... Given our results, we believe it is infeasible to expect increased average antler size within this study site by translocating adult female white-tailed deer...
Wandering deer causes George Washington Bridge traffic shutdown Saturday night May 29, 2022 New York, YAHOO!News
... It took police about 15 minutes to capture the deer ... Police took the deer to nearby Fort Lee Historic Park where they released it...
Idaho Fish and Game aiming to stop crop loss due to deer March 3, 2022 Twin Falls KMVT
... will now attempt to use a drop net trap to capture and relocate the deer to more suitable locations in the Magic Valley...
DWR relocates over a dozen moose in a week January 18, 2022 Utah, TownLift, Park City News
... most of which were found wandering near Interstate 80... four moose were relocated last week in more urban areas, including one at the University of Utah...
