Now is deer mating season. From the end of October through mid-December, as feisty bucks pursue the does, both are more likely to unexpectedly run into the street.
“Deer are involved in thousands of collisions with motor vehicles in New Jersey each year, with the highest number occurring during the fall mating season,” Division of Fish and Wildlife Director Dave Golden said. “We urge all drivers to be especially alert to the possibility of deer suddenly darting onto roadways and to be aware of things they can do to reduce the risk of a collision and possible serious injury to themselves or their passengers.”
Workers will get a triple whammy in November when we combine: mating season, the fact that deer are more active at dawn and dusk, and daylight savings ends on November 7th which may reduce visibility. Increased deer activity increases the possibility of colliding with a vehicle. Reduced visibility compounds the issue.
Keep in mind the biggest reason for deer-automobile collisions is we simply have too many deer. While deer are beautiful creatures to observe, their overabundance has a detrimental ecological impact to which there is no simple solution.
Deer naturally thrive in our Garden State, where they can continually feed on plants, flowers, forest understory and farm crops. Other than humans, they have virtually no predators.
Unfortunately, we have made a perfect habitat for deer, with forest edges, farm fields and homes that protect deer from hunters and feed them a diet more nutritious than a native forest.
As a result, some areas of Hopewell Valley are home to up to 161 deer per square mile based upon nocturnal spotlight surveys. Keep in mind that regional biologists and ecologists recommend a deer density of 10-20 deer per square mile for a healthy herd balance.
Why else does the overpopulation of deer matter? Let’s start with our natural ecosystem. The layer of trees that grow beneath the forest canopy, but above the forest floor is called “understory.” For a forest to be healthy, it needs a robust understory. With the increase in deer over the last 50 years, native plants have declined, and invasive plants have taken root.
Deer also destroy landscaping. There is nothing worse than spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on flowers and plants, only to have it all eaten overnight by a herd of deer. The landscape planting losses are difficult to control because many deer repellents are ineffective. Hungry deer have begun consuming plants previously deemed deer-resistant.
Even more devastating is the agricultural losses to farmers in New Jersey. According to Rutgers University, New Jersey growers reported that 70% of their crop losses from wildlife were due to deer. A report by the Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences reports the economic loss to high-value agricultural crops in New Jersey totals more than $15 million per year.
A dense population of deer also contributes overall to more cases of Lyme disease, since there is a correlation between increased populations of deer and increased populations of deer ticks.
Municipalities like Princeton Council, and Pennington Borough Council previously put plans in place. While commendable, patchwork solutions often just move the deer to more welcoming locations.
Larger coordinated efforts have a better chance of success in conjunction with a comprehensive deer management plan that includes hunting. Currently, Mercer County Park Commission is applying to the state for a Community Based Deer Management permit to perform deer culling. Both the Hopewell Township Committee and Pennington Borough Council have issued supporting resolutions.
Oftentimes, when hunting does occur, it is frequently “trophy hunting” rather than “management hunting.” Trophy hunters kill mature male deer, or bucks, for their prized large antlers. This does not help with population control, and studies indicate it may even result in increased populations. Management hunting requires time and money to be productive.
FoHVOS land stewards have assembled recommendations to address deer overabundance for stakeholders including, land owners, farmers, government & industry, hunters, and members of the public. Visit fohvos.org for more information.
All of us are responsible for the deer overpopulation problem in how we live and utilize the land. It is our hope that all stakeholders will do their share to address the out-of-balance deer population in the state.
[Originally written by Lisa Wolff for the November 2021 edition of Hopewell Valley Neighbors]