Understanding the Problem and Your Options to Keep Deer off Your Property
Experts suggest a variety of management practices for preventing or controlling the damages done by the deer to crops, fruits, orchards, landscapes or gardens. As every field, orchard, plant setting or garden is unique, there isn’t way any one or all of those deer management techniques are likely to achieve ideal deer control. Still, they do provide us with more or less deer protection to lessen the damage.
Generally, deer can damage plants as they browse on the newly born vegetation. But as food is in short supply, they are likely to eat almost anything to stay alive. There are some key reasons the deer are getting more intense as a problem in different parts of US. But the primary reason is simple… they are increasing in number! An AP article stated that the nationwide deer population currently stands between 25 and 30 million!!
And they have been growing in high rate for decades. It isn’t just that they have mastered that art of intruding suburbia. They’ve also got momentum from a succession of meek winters. An added momentum to this growth was the increase in the lately developed areas which have been declared as off limits for deer hunters. Similarly, there is a steep decline in deer hunting in different parts of the US.
Some forecasters think there would be some point in future when the nationwide deer populace will turn so huge that it won’t sustain itself. Still, nobody knows when. We’re not sure when it’ll max out to destruction. A wildlife biologist of Cornell University holds that the deer populations already reached the densities most biologist couldn’t have imagined 10 years back. That’s why it’s so important that we think about viable methods for deer protection.
And the damages caused by the deer do vary significantly. Actually things depend on the kind of crops and plants they have browsed through and the number of intruding deer that browsed those. A wildlife specialist of Auburn University has explained that it’s not rare for various growers around the Southeastern regions to suffer crop damage (mostly on peanuts and cotton) of $20,000 to $30,000 in a single crop year. Deer attacks are one of the extensive problems in our agricultural sector. Added to the crisis is the fact that such damages generally are highly site specific. Dependant on the habitat surrounding the field, a person might suffer absolutely no damage, while the person who has a nearby field might sustain a heavy damage due to the deer’s browsing.
Deer generally prefer a rather fragmented habitat which is composed of woodland (it gives them cover) and an open cropland. Most farmers might notice more of the deer feeding around the fields’ edges near woods. These are the area the deer are able to feed without getting too far-off from their cover. According to the estimates of the USDA entire deer damage caused by auto collisions, crop damages and timber losses goes as high as $1 billion per year as a minimum.
Since we’re trying to understand the issue of deer protection, let’s take a look at the applicable regulations and available assistance now. Since deer generally are sheltered by special game regulations within all US states, along with Canadian provinces, experts strongly suggest that you contact your state specific wildlife conservation and natural resource agency, because they are the ones responsible for enforcing your state’s wildlife regulations. We are required to thoroughly know these regulations prior to implementing any kind of deer protection or control practice.
There are some special state agencies which have specific programs to assist you with the necessary technical assistance. Some states have special programs which are compensating farmers for different types of deer damages. Then again, in some states and in local municipalities, there are special laws that restrict some options regarding deer management. Farmers and producers must stay updated about their respective state laws or regulations, since these tend to change every year.
The Wildlife Services is a wing of the APHIS (APHIS is the acronym for Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service) and it helps people prevent or lessen wildlife damage. It also provides them with necessary technical assistance and/or direct control. If you need to get further info regarding the assistance, you can contact the APHIS office in your state.
