Deer Population Control | Delaware County PA

What is Deer Population Control?

Understanding the benefits of a balanced animal population is critical to the survival of all surrounding wildlife. Creating a solid effort to control population levels directly contributes to the strength of environmental resources.

The idea of wildlife management is relatively recent and works on both sides of the fence to regulate animal populations. In many parts of Pennsylvania and surrounding states, hunters are limited to the number of deer able to be harvested due to many decades of over hunting, harsh winters and native predators; leaving populations diminished. Management groups work hard to create and enforce regulations to ensure a heathy sustained wildlife population is around for generations to come. On the other hand suburban areas have much less hunting accessibility and little to no natural predators to keep wildlife populations in check. This in turn leaves areas over populated requiring deer and other wildlife to compete among themselves over long winter periods with little food for the number of animals per dwindling acre. With property lines shrinking and wildlife numbers increasing we are presented with many going issues.

Benefits of Deer Population Control:

• Reduced number of animal related car accidents and injuries
• Decreased levels of wildlife disease and rapid spread of deer borne illnesses such as CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease)
• Lower levels of wildlife to human dangers including Lyme Disease and other tick borne illnesses commonly spread by deer ticks

Concerns and The Known Effects of Deer Overpopulation:

• In areas of overpopulation, deer cause an over browsing affect called a "browse line". In areas with a browse line, most plant species below the browse line are stripped bare damaging the habitat for many species. These browse lines can be from four to six feet high.
• Deer establish a territory and will not leave it.
• Deer are known to starve rather than leave their domain.
• Just 2 deer without predation can produce a herd of up to 35 deer in just 7 years.
• Deer can live up to 11 years in the wild.
• Under optimal conditions without regulating factors like predators or hunting, deer populations can double in size annually.

http://www.deerdamage.org/page/deer-facts

The leading deer / human interaction and concern of public safety is the overwhelming number of deer related car crashes in developing suburban areas. A study released by leading insurance corporation State Farm reports that between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 an estimated 1.2 million deer-vehicle crashes occurred resulting in over 200 human deaths and $4 billion dollars in damages. In the last 7 years 60 deaths and over 4,400 injuries have resulted in such accidents in the state of Pennsylvania alone. And in 2014, deer related car accidents put the keystone state third highest in the nation at 124,000 crashes, up almost 8% from 2013.

The realities of an overcrowded deer population in suburban environments can't be denied. Proper awareness and effective management can lead the way to sustain a healthy system moving forward for generations to come.

Professional Deer Management

SDMT's Approach

Separate from public hunters but still abiding by the same laws and regulations. Suburban Deer Management Team, when approaching a potential management area, will conduct studies to determine the amount of wildlife on a specific property as well as the potential of run over from surrounding areas. Many factors come into consideration. Property bordering major roadways, residential developments, farms & forests and their population of existing wildlife, as well as potential effects of overpopulation are studied. Safe boundary lines are set and an estimated percentage of reduction is determined to maintain a healthy balance between wildlife and the resources to sustain them. Team members then determine the most utilized traffic routes and times of frequency. After identifying the surrounding areas and determining the best approach, herds can be effectively reduced.

Please contact us today to learn more about our Deer Population Control. We service Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Delaware County, Montgomery County, Bucks County and Chester County. Call Suburban Deer Management Team Today! (610) 674-1881