∼ C O A L I T I O N F O R R E S P O N S I B L E D E E R MAN A G EM E N T ∼

TheCoalitionforResponsibleDeerManagementisagroupoforganizationsandindividualswhohavejoinedtourgepublicofficialsinBaltimoreCountytoaddressdeeroverpopulation.

FactsAboutDeer

Deercausedangerousandexpensivedeer‐vehiclecollisions.

AsreportedtotheBaltimoreCountyCouncil,8,432deercollidedwithvehiclesfrom2003throughJune2008.AndthisnumberonlyincludesdeerretrievedbyStateandCountyemployees,attaxpayerexpense.1

StateFarmincludesMarylandasa“high‐risk”state,withapproximately27,000deer‐vehiclecollisionsineachofthelast7years.2TheInsuranceInformationInstituteestimatesover1.6milliondeer‐vehiclecollisionsintheUSeachyear,resultingin150occupantdeathsandtensofthousandsofhumaninjuries.Costs:over$3.6billioninvehicledamageand$1billioninmedicalpayments.Theaverageclaimforadeer‐vehiclecollisionis$3,000.3

DeerthreatenpublichealthbyspreadingLymedisease.

Photo:“Bull’s‐eyerash”fromLymeinfectionsufferedbyaBaltimoreCountyresident.

Lymediseaseistransmittedprimarilybydeerticks.Thisseriousdiseasecancauseflu‐likesymptoms,jointpain,andneurologicalproblems.4

Therewere414reportedcasesofLymediseaseinBaltimoreCountyin2009.ButtheCenterforDiseaseControlestimatesthatactualcasesare6‐12timesmorethanreported.Thiswouldimply2500‐5000casesintheCounty.5

Deerruinresidentialandcommerciallandscaping.

PhotosbyRobGibbs

Conversionofforestedandagriculturallandstosuburbanhousingimproveshabitatfordeer.Asaresult,manyhomeownersandlandscapersfinditvirtuallyimpossibletomaintainlandscapeplantsorflowerandvegetablegardenswithoutexpensivefencing.Totalcostsofdeerdamagetoshrubsandplantingsfromonlythe145householdsintheLochRavenWatershedoverfiveyearswas$330,945.6

!"#$"#%!%

&

! '()(*+!,-!.+/0-1(2!./-3+/,4!5

! 6(/7+10 8(1709(3:1* ;*/:9<2,</+ = >--72(170

./-?2+)0!!>:,@!AB+/(?<17(1,!'++/./-?2+)0!!>:,@!AB+/(?<17(1,!'++/

! 6(/7+10C!8(1709(3:1*C!;*/:9<2,</+!=!>--72(170

! '()(*+!,-!D-/+0,!E+(2,@

! '++/!" F+@:92+!G-22:0:-10

! ':0+(0+!H/(10):00:-1!,-!E<)(10!I84)+J!

! E+/7!E+(2,@!

'++/!?/-K0:1*!9(1!/<:1!2(1709(3+0L'++/!?/-K0:1*!9(1!/<:1!2(1709(3+0L

Photo by Rob Gibbs

;*/:9<2,</(2;*/:9<2,</(2

! 8(170!/+)-B+7!M/-)!

3/-7<9,:-1!I1-,!3 I

+9-1-):9(2J

! E-/,:9<2,</(2!32(1,0!

:)3(9,+7

!NNO!6/(:1!G/-3!8-00+0!M/-)!'++/!!NNO!6/(:1!G/-3!8-00+0!M/-)!'++/!

!"#$%&

'(()*+,-.+&/01,%203+4+#"05,%403"",67839:0;+<$%&+.09#08<+<$=<$>=0?55$>":0*30

?55$>"@

ABBCD,+$&01,%20E%=="=05,%403"",7&$F",=$<-0*3008<G/-0H I"F$&0*>;"J

K=<$4+<"/K>%&%4$>0E%==64$..$%& L@

L082"&<0%&0M,"F"&<$%& 1,%2

N+,F"=<"/0O$"./

6PGQ 2", +>,"@

O$"./0E%==6R0%50S+,F"=<0

-$"./@E%=="=0

64$..$%& L@!"#$%& 64$..$%&0L@ M,"F"&<$%& 1,%2 6PGQ02",0+>,"@ -$"./@ 64$..$%&0L@

T"=<",&0 QU LV':(WA 1%,& BCQW A'QCR AB)

1"&<,+. UQW LU)X:W)V 1%,& A'XQ) CQXR U:)'A

8%-P"+&= X(QW AAQVR ':C)V

TS"+< )W 'Q(R 'XV

8%G<S",&0 AQX L'CA:V)A 1%,& AAAQ' WQ)R ':BBB

8%-P"+&= UAQX ')Q'R A':(X(

TS"+< UWQU XQCR CV)

722",0 K8 'QX L'W):U'X 1%,& AX'QW )Q(R U:(VU

8%-P"+&= UWQB A(Q(R U:(C'

TS"+< )' X U WR A)XTS"+< )'QX UQWR A)X

E%J",0K8 AQ' LVW:)X' 1%,& A'W WQ'R A:WWC

8%-P"+&= XWQC AUQ)R W:BA'

TS"+< W(Q' UQCR )(B

8Y9YK 1%,& A'WQ' WQCR AA:XWX

8%-P"+&= X(QX A'QWR 'X:CVA

TS"+< )XQ) 'QCR A:WB)

!"#$% &'() &*+,-,+./- !"#$%!0#$#1!23"4!5$6$71 &/8+).*

!"#$"#%!%

&

'()*+,-./!0,+-.!',(*!1(2232!4,()!533,'()*+,-./!0,+-.!',(*!1(2232!4,()!533,

!667!+.8!#%%9!!667!+.8!#%%9!

!""# $%%&

'()*+,

-,*.(/0*12345336178239:(.*,34;<(=

>-65?@3<A1*+,AB3?)361A1*01*;03CDD*;(@3453CDD*;(E

F01*GA1(8F;+,+G*;3H+00>G*BB*+,3IE

F01*GA1(8 F;+,+G*;3H+00>G*BB*+,3IE

J(01(/,3 !"& KL

M(,1/AB NK& LKN

6 O !& P ! Q6+71O(/,3 !&KP !KQ

-RR(/3 F6 NKL $KQ

H+=(/3F6 "K$ !K$

!"#$% &'()*+, &-.*

533,!:,(;2-./533,!:,(;2-./

! <=-)-.+>32!4(,32>!

,3/3.3,+>-(.!+4>3,!>-)?3,!/

@+,A32>

! :+BC!,D??-./!B+.!C-==!+.8!

8+)+/3!=+,/3!>,332

From: DeCalesta, 1994

5+)+/3!>(!E(,32>!<B(2F2>3)2!5+)+/3!>(!E(,32>!<B(2F2>3)2!

G!:-(8-A3,2->FG!:-(8-A3,2->F

From: DeCalesta, 1994

Photo:Field&StreamMagazinewebsite.

∼ C O A L I T I O N F O R R E S P O N S I B L E D E E R MAN A G EM E N T ∼

2

Deerdamageagriculturalcrops.Marylandfarmerslosemillionsofdollarsofgrainsandothercropstodeereachyear,andspendadditionalmoneyondeercontrol.7Also,otherwisevaluablecroplandistakenoutofproductionbecauseextensivedeerforagingmakesituneconomicaltoplant.TheMarylandFarmBureauadvocatesincreasedmanagedhuntingtocontroldeer,whichare“ofmajorconcern”tofarmers.8

Deerhinderforestre‐growthandreduceecologicaldiversity.

ThisphotoshowsthedevastationcausedbydeerintheforestatOregonRidgePark.Ontheleftisanareafromwhichdeerwereexcludedbytallfencing.Theunderstorycontainsahealthymixofsaplingtrees,shrubs,andherbaceousplants.Ontherightistheforestasitexistsinmostofthepark.Asthosematuretreesdie,theywillnotbereplaced.Andthisdamagedforestsupportsonlyasmallfractionoftheplantsandanimalsthatthrivedherebeforethedeerpopulationexploded.

Itiscommontodaytoseeforestswhereessentiallyallnativevegetation,fromthegroundtoashighasthedeercanreach,hasbeenremoved.Aforestwithoutanunderstoryisadyingforest.Treeswillnotbereplacedastheydiebecausedeerconsumeseeds(suchasacorns),seedlings,andsaplings.

Birdsandotherwildlifethatdependonhabitatsonthegroundandinyoungtreesandshrubshavefewerplacestonest,toreproduce,tofeed,andtoseekshelter.9

Thesegraphsshowhowdeerdensityreducespopulationsofwildflowersandmid‐canopynestingbirds.10

TheaveragedeerdensityinBaltimoreCountyis“offthecharts”–at81deerpersquaremileormore.

Deerfosterthespreadofnon‐nativeinvasiveplantsbecausetheystronglyprefertoeatthenativeplantswithwhichtheyco‐evolved.Non‐nativevinessuchasOrientalBittersweetandEnglishIvyovertopandkilltrees.Ontheground,plantslikeAsianStiltgrassandGarlicMustardpreventthegrowthofnativewildflowersandotherplants.

!"#$"#%!%

&

'()*+,-./!0,+-.!',(*!1(2232!4,()!533,'()*+,-./!0,+-.!',(*!1(2232!4,()!533,

!667!+.8!#%%9!!667!+.8!#%%9!

!""# $%%&

'()*+,

-,*.(/0*12345336178239:(.*,34;<(=

>-65?@3<A1*+,AB3?)361A1*01*;03CDD*;(@3453CDD*;(E

F01*GA1(8F;+,+G*;3H+00>G*BB*+,3IE

F01*GA1(8 F;+,+G*;3H+00>G*BB*+,3IE

J(01(/,3 !"& KL

M(,1/AB NK& LKN

6 O !& P ! Q6+71O(/,3 !&KP !KQ

-RR(/3 F6 NKL $KQ

H+=(/3F6 "K$ !K$

!"#$% &'()*+, &-.*

533,!:,(;2-./533,!:,(;2-./

! <=-)-.+>32!4(,32>!

,3/3.3,+>-(.!+4>3,!>-)?3,!/

@+,A32>

! :+BC!,D??-./!B+.!C-==!+.8!

8+)+/3!=+,/3!>,332

From: DeCalesta, 1994

5+)+/3!>(!E(,32>!<B(2F2>3)2!5+)+/3!>(!E(,32>!<B(2F2>3)2!

G!:-(8-A3,2->FG!:-(8-A3,2->F

From: DeCalesta, 1994

∼ C O A L I T I O N F O R R E S P O N S I B L E D E E R MAN A G EM E N T ∼

3

Whyhasthedeerpopulationgrownsomuch?

Deerevolvedwithnaturalpredatorssuchaswolvesandmountainlions.Humanshavehunteddeerfortensofthousandsofyears.Thesecontrolsarenolongerinplace.Suburbanareasprovidemorefoodandcoverfordeerthanwoodsalone,whileatthesametimereducingtheareathatissuitableforhunting.Inaddition,deermanagementpoliciesinthepastwereoftengearedtoincreasingdeerherds.

Howdenseisthecurrentdeerpopulationcomparedtoasustainablelevel?

Themostreliableevidenceofdeerover‐populationiseasilyvisibleindamageonroads,gardens,andwoods.Indirectmeasuresinthespringof2008bytheBaltimoreCountyDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionandResourceManagementrecordedaveragedeerdensityintheCountyat81deerpersquaremile.Astudypublishedin2009estimated95deerpersquaremile.Thusthedeerpopulationinthe599squaremilesoftheCountyisapproximately48,000–57,000.NotethatthedensityfiguresareaverageforthewholeCounty.Deerdensitycanbemuchhigherinparks.11

Thedeerdensitythatcanbeconsideredsustainabledependsonspecificconditionsinthehabitat.Numbersrangingfromlessthan9upto20deerpersquaremilehavebeenproposed.12Butunderanymeasure,deerpopulationslikethoseinBaltimoreCountyarenotsustainablebecausetheyarenotallowingtheforeststorenew.

Atcurrentpopulationlevels,deeraredestroyingBaltimoreCountyforests.Theydepriveotheranimalsandplantsoftheessentialsforsurvival—anddamagehumanhealthandproperty.

Whyishuntingthemosteffectivemethodformanagingdeerpopulations?Othermethodsareexpensiveanddon’tworkwell.Attemptstoreducedeerpopulationbyreducingdoefertilityareprohibitivelyexpensiveandcausestresstoindividualdeer.Hormonalbirthcontrolcosts$1000perdoeandonlylastsayearinmostcases.13AsurgicalspayingprogramfordeerinLochRavenReservoirreportedlycost$50,000foronly32deer.14

Deercontrolmethodslikefencingandtheuseofrepellentsareonlyeffective(ifatall)todiscouragedeerfromenteringaparticular,relativelysmall,area.Individualpropertyownerscantryusingplantsthatarelesspalatabletodeer.However,so‐calleddeerresistantplantsareoftennon‐nativeanddon’tsupportbirds,butterfliesandotherwildlife.Also,thosemethodsarenotfeasibleonalargescaleanddonotreducedeerpopulation.Thustheydonotaddressthelossofourbiologicallydiverseforestsorthehazardsofdiseaseandaccidents.

ParkagenciesinthreeurbanizedMarylandcounties—Howard,AnneArundelandMontgomery—havedeermanagementprograms.BaltimoreCountyhaspermittedmanagedhuntsinLochRavenandPrettyboyReservoirs,andtheCountyCouncilrecentlyapprovedcontrolleddeerhuntingbyprofessional‘deercooperators’incountyparks.

TheOregonRidgeParkForestAssessmentandManagementPlansaiditplainly:15

“Deercontrol,tobeeffective,shouldbeintheformofhunting.”

It’stimetomanagethedeerpopulationoncounty‐ownedlands.

∼ C O A L I T I O N F O R R E S P O N S I B L E D E E R MAN A G EM E N T ∼

4

1CountyCouncilUpdatebyCouncilChairman,KevinKamenetz,reportedinTheAdvocate,March2009,page4.2http://www.statefarm.com/about/media/media_releases/20090928.asp;MarylandAnnualDeerReport2009‐10,MDDeptofNaturalResources.3http://www.iii.org/press_releases/warning‐to‐motorists‐fall‐is‐peak‐season‐for‐deer‐vehicle‐collisions.html.4http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lyme‐disease/DS00116/DSECTION=symptoms.5CenterForDiseaseControlMorbidityandMortalityWeeklyReport,May7,2004/53(17);365‐369.6WatershedProtectionCoalition,Inc.survey,asreportedtoCountyExecutiveJamesSmith,November25,2003.7UnitedStatesDepartmentofAgricultureNewsRelease,March25,2009,

http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/Files/Government%20Affaris/WildlifeRelease2008.pdf.8MarylandFarmBureauPolicyStatement.http://www.mdfarmbureau.com/Files/PDFs/MFBPolicy2010.pdf.9JonathanKays,ExtensionSpecialist,NaturalResources,UMDExtensionServiceandGeorgeTimko,DeerBiologist,MDDivisionofNaturalResources,ManagingDeerDamageintheLandscape,Webinar,January14,2010.10Ibid.Seealso,"EffectofWhite‐tailedDeeronSongbirdswithinManagedForestsinPennsylvania,”DavidS.DeCalesta.J.Wildl.Manage.58(4):711‐718.11Gilgenastetal.,AStudyoftheDeerPopulationinBaltimoreCounty‐InterimReport,March2009,page11.122007‐2017LandManagementPlanfortheQuabbinReservoirWatershedSystem.September2007.

Mass.Dep’tofConservationandRecr.,Div.ofWaterSupplyProtection,OfficeofWatershedMgmt.(4‐18deerpersqmi);DavidS.deCalesta,KinzuaQualityDeerCooperativeReport2009(9orfewerdeerpersqmi);ForestHealthAssessmentandForestManagementPlanforOregonRidgeParkApril2007(morethan20deerpersquaremilerestrictregenerationanddiversityoftreesandshrubs,whileeven10deerpersquaremilecanlimitfullunderstoryregeneration).13PresentationbyRonaldS.HealeyofAnimalPlantHealthInspectionService–USDA,November2010.Seealso,Thestateof“DeerContraception”:January2010Update,FairfieldCountyMunicipalDeerManagementAlliance,http://www.deeralliance.com/node/33.14“LochRavenAreaBecomesTestSiteforDeerSpaying,”BaltimoreSun,February13,2010,page13.15ForestHealthAssessmentandForestManagementPlanforOregonRidgePark,April2007,page72