Effective Deer Management
Personal, economic, and environmental damages caused by large deer populations are
visible in many forms from personal injury and property damage to diseased deer.
Authorities and residents alike recognize the many problems caused by deer. For the
benefit of deer and humans alike, deer hunting is the most effective means to control deer
population.
When development encroaches on deer habitat and the deer population is increasing due to
a lack of natural attrition, the result is an overpopulation of deer in a given area. Deer
concentrations are on the rise in undeveloped areas placing higher demands for food on
their environment. When vegetation is limited, deer forage more thoroughly for food,
eliminating available vegetation for both themselves and other animals. According to
Barret “their overabundance is shaping forest regeneration and, in turn, causing negative
consequences for many native animals and plants whose presence we consider valuable”
(2004). Similar to humans, deer have nutritional requirements. The health of the deer
deteriorates when nutritional requirements are not met and disease is more likely to occur.
Physical and environmental stresses force the deer to leave the area and search elsewhere
for food. Elsewhere happens to be grassy yards, flower gardens, bushes, specimen trees,
and vegetable gardens in residential communities. There is an economic impact to property
owners who are now inclined to repair damaged landscaping. Oftentimes reaching these
well manicured food sources require deer to cross roadways, sometimes resulting in
collisions with automobiles. Local highway administrators indicate that there has been an
increase in the number of deer carcasses removed from local roadways, averaging more
than 1000 in recent years. Experts estimate that this number represents only 20 to 25% of
deer that die at the scene of traffic accidents. The remaining deer leave the accident scene,
dying elsewhere as a result of their injury (Environmental Quality Advisory Council
[EQAC], 2004). Nationally deer destroy nearly $1 billion worth of U.S. crops, timber and
landscaping annually. And each year they cause most of the 500,000 animal-related vehicle
accidents that result in about 100 fatalities and $2.5 billion in damages (Miller, 2002). In
addition to vehicular damages and expenses resulting from traffic accidents involving deer,
there are the inherent risks to personal safety. Recent years have also seen an increased
focus on Lyme disease transmittedfrom deer to humans through blacklegged ticks, more
commonly referred to as deer ticks. Lyme disease left untreated can lead to fever,
headaches, and joint aches; and the longer Lyme disease is left untreated, the more severe
