Controlling Deer population - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

865sp300e · #1 12-24-2008, 05:19 PM

The amount of deer in many parts of Bucks County (southeastern PA) has become a major issue. In my area, proposals to arrest the situation has fallen into four options:

1. Hire sharpshooters
2. Issue special permits to local bow hunters that have received training
3. Birth control
4. Leave them be and live with it

Who else on this forum lives in a community with this issue and what was the method used. Thanks.

Matt L · #2 12-24-2008, 05:24 PM

Google for news stores about Town and Country, MO. Most of the residences are on large plots (and are quite expensive) which makes the deer a serious problem for them.

I don't think that they've ever hired sharshooters, but they've done all of the others. Plus one other, relocation, which turned out to be a disaster.

rwthomas1 · #3 12-24-2008, 05:27 PM

When I lived in Texas they used sharpshooters with 22's in neighborhoods with great success.

Here in the NE we are too civilized for that. People just let them starve and run them over with fine automobiles.

If it was up to me I would simply issue hunting permits for specific areas, bait those areas, the deer will come, and be done with it. Hunters are more than happy to pay to take care of the problem.

Not PC though. A neighbor was complaining that there was a bow hunting stand up in a tree in the woods nearby. The rotten hunter was killing the poor deer. Yeah, sure, the same deer that decimate your garden and mine and you run down with your minivan? Those deer? What an idiot. I've got 4 deer in my backyard, in broad daylight every day. I shoo them away and they come right back. If it wasn't for the neighbors on three sides they would have 30 caliber holes in them.

RT

KarTek · #4 12-24-2008, 05:34 PM

The deer are a plague around here. They come out about dusk / 5PM and stay out until early dawn. There's plenty of hunting right now until the season ends on Jan. 1 but the numbers of deer are just staggering. I don't know of any official plans to deal with them but for now, my dog runs them into the woods when he's bored and that's pretty much good enough.

The biggest problem for me aside from the road hazard is the damage they cause to my aluminum fencing when they run blindly into it at night. I can only bend it back into shape so many times before it starts to look crappy...

865sp300e · #5 12-24-2008, 05:52 PM

At this time sharpshooters are the leading proposal. Although I cannot recall the exact cost, it is staggering (no pun intended).

1. Sharpshooters= high cost, immediate results
2. Bow Hunters= low or no cost, risk of a inhumane kill, culling will take time
3. Contraception=not sure about cost but difficult to perform, slow results
4. Do nothing=no cost, more Lymme disease, auto collisions, and property destruction, let nature take its course.

Hatterasguy · #6 12-24-2008, 05:52 PM

Up here in NE we just run them over with our leased H2's and BMW's.

SirNik84 · #7 12-24-2008, 06:02 PM

dang. I didn't know Deer were such a problem. We just hunt them. I've heard of states issuing special licenses with discounts for out of state hunters to come in and hunt. Hunting them seems to be the best way to get control deer. If you bring in sharp shooters, who is taking the meat? I'm no tree hugger but its a waist of an animals life if they are killed and not eaten, especially a deer.

Chas H · #8 12-24-2008, 06:09 PM

A nearby township, Solebury for those familiar with Bucks Co, spent $250,000 last year to pay sharpshooters to kill deer.
Pennsylvania usually has the highest "harvest" number among states and I believe the largest roadkill number too.
I'm not current on bag limits, but not long ago deer hunters in Pa could kill any sex and in any number.That may still be the case, as the deer population by my observation has not decreased.

Stoneseller · #9 12-24-2008, 06:29 PM

They did the sharpshooter thing in the woods near my former home in Olney, MD about 5 years back. This was on government parkland, the Northwest Branch of Rock Creek park.

There was a bunch of hoopla prior to & during the hunt. PETA rep's voiced their opinions. Landowners & farmers voiced their opinions. Montgomery County had a flurry of boisterious discussions & meetings on the subject.

The hunt went on as planned.

In spring of the following year, the deer ate the ***** out of my gardens at my home adjoining upper Rock Creek park, just as they did before the hunt.

SSDD

David

catmandoo62 · #10 12-24-2008, 06:54 PM

just read an article in iowa fish and stream that the state believes there is no deer problem and they don't want to thin the herds,because they want trophy bucks for out of staters to come shoot(can you say lots of money).its getting to the point that because of the huge deer out here that out of state hunters are coming out and buying up the good woodlands and leasing the hunting rights. anybody want to buy 25 acres of prime iowa hunting land adjoining a river.lots of deer,i know of a huge buck that lives up behind the house.lots of turkey's too.i'm selling out,as the local hunters have pissed me off for the last time.they just come and go as they please.2 years ago they took a gate down so they could drive back on my logging road to retrieve their deer.

vwbuge · #11 12-24-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

A nearby township, Solebury for those familiar with Bucks Co, spent $250,000 last year to pay sharpshooters to kill deer.
Pennsylvania usually has the highest "harvest" number among states and I believe the largest roadkill number too.
I'm not current on bag limits, but not long ago deer hunters in Pa could kill any sex and in any number.That may still be the case, as the deer population by my observation has not decreased.

You could never in PA kill any sex in any number. A hunter is entitled to kill one antlered deer. If you apply for and receive additional doe tags, you can kill up to two more, I believe.

I lived in that area for a short time. If some of the wealthy landowners would open up their property to hunting, you would not have this problem.

Chas H · #12 12-24-2008, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwbuge

You could never in PA kill any sex in any number. A hunter is entitled to kill one antlered deer. If you apply for and receive additional doe tags, you can kill up to two more, I believe.

I lived in that area for a short time. If some of the wealthy landowners would open up their property to hunting, you would not have this problem.

Perhaps I misspoke about antlered deer. There have been changes in the way deer hunting is permitted.
Currently the Wildlife Management Area that includes the northern part of Bucks county has the largest allocation of antlerless deer permits in the state. The total state allocation for permits is almost 900,000.
Wealthy land owners are not the problem. Suburban sprawl has made hunting unsafe/not permitted in many areas that harbor huge herds of deer. I live on 2 acres, and my neighbors have similar or larger lots, but it's not legal to discharge a firearm within 150 yards of a house. Legally I can't shoot a deer in my back yard and I frequently have many nosing around. I'm considering a cross bow.

Hatterasguy · #13 12-24-2008, 11:20 PM

The problem with opening your property to hunting is than you have morons that spray the deer like they are fighting a war or something. I have been beside some state land on private property during the opening of hunting season, sounded like the ****en Battle of the Bulge.

If I had a lot of land I would only allow very close friends to hunt on it. I want to be able to take a walk in the woods without getting shot.

MTUpower · #14 12-24-2008, 11:26 PM

Lama poop fertilizer keeps deer away. It does not burn plants as it's not "hot". It's cheap. It's great for plants. It does not smell. It works. Of course you can still use a astro van or F250 to do them in...

vwbuge · #15 12-25-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

Perhaps I misspoke about antlered deer. There have been changes in the way deer hunting is permitted.
Currently the Wildlife Management Area that includes the northern part of Bucks county has the largest allocation of antlerless deer permits in the state. The total state allocation for permits is almost 900,000.
Wealthy land owners are not the problem. Suburban sprawl has made hunting unsafe/not permitted in many areas that harbor huge herds of deer. I live on 2 acres, and my neighbors have similar or larger lots, but it's not legal to discharge a firearm within 150 yards of a house. Legally I can't shoot a deer in my back yard and I frequently have many nosing around. I'm considering a cross bow.

That is the situation in Allegheny County also.(Pittsburgh) You cannot hunt with a rifle. Must be a shotgun or bow (crossbow). It is not illegal to discharge a firearm in a Safety Zone. It is illegal to discharge a firearm in a Safety Zone without permission from the landowner.