Recent studies conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center found that use of contraception is not an effective means of controlling deer overpopulation.
The two studies, conducted in New Jersey and Maryland involved deer living in large enclosed areas. The deer were captured, injected with the vaccine, ear-tagged and equipped with radio collars for monitoring the animals. A 30 percent failure rate is reported in the New Jersey study. In Maryland, a 12 percent failure rate jumped to 53 percent in year two of the study.
National Wildlife Research Center officials reported that even if results of the study were totally successful, contraception must still be combined with hunting or culling to reduce overpopulation.
Both the contraception programs and culling programs are logistically difficult and cost citizens hundreds of thousands of dollars. White Buffalo, a private company which specializes in culling deer in overpopulated areas charges $1,000 per deer to fit radio collars for tracking, which must be done to gauge the effectiveness of contraception. Additionally, White Buffalo charges $150-$300 per deer to cull.
Both of these fees can be avoided if hunting is allowed to control the deer in these overpopulated areas. In many cases, hunters must pay extra for the licenses necessary to hunt deer in these areas. Numerous municipalities which allow hunters to cull deer in urban settings do so safely, economically and efficiently.
“The magic bullet is just not out there yet,” said Larry Herrighty, chief of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife’s Bureau of Wildlife Management, regarding controlling deer populations.
However, sportsmen have long known that the bullets and arrows they carry into the field represent the best solution for the management of booming deer herds.
From the US Sportsman's Alliance
Topic: Another Study Finds Deer Birth Control Ineffective (Read 1181 times)
