White-tailed Deer in Pennsylvania

The only species we manage that, when overpopulation occurs, has a far-reaching impact (consider rabbits or squirrels) Hunters killed more than 409,000 deer during the deer season, a 12 percent drop from the previous season

Economic Impacts ~800,000 hunters, 90% hunting deer 13,955,000 hunting days Total expenditures – $941,036,000 Average spent per hunter $914 Non-resident expenditures in PA – $82.4 million

Economic Benefits Federal Excise tax on firearms and ammunition Hunter and trapper education Gamelands acquisition Non-game wildlife enhancements Habitat improvements on private land

Economic Impacts of Wildlife Watching Participants – 4.8 million Residents – 1.3 million Non-residents – 3.4 million Total expenditures - $962 million Average spent per person - $253 Total non-resident expenditures in PA - $95 million

Deer Diseases Bovine tuberculosis Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Lyme Disease in PA –1982 – 2 cases –2003 – 5730 (highest in US) Foot and Mouth Disease Epizooitic Hemorrhagic Disease

Deer-Vehicle Collision Impacts Nationwide –1.5 million collisions –29,000 injuries and 210 deaths –$1.3 billion in expenses (2003) Pennsylvania –21 deaths from ; 14 in 2003 – ~40,000 accidents per year PA average repair bill - $2,200 –40,000 x $2,200 = $88,000,000 –doesn’t include personal injury or other property damage –does this effect your insurance rate? Estimated 100,000 deer die annually;carcass pickup

Deer-Aircraft Collisions Commercial and private planes commonly hit deer during landing Many airports must use expensive fencing 1990 to 2004, over 650 deer-aircraft collisions were reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Crop Damage by Deer Annual US loss - $500 million Annual PA loss – $90 million Average loss per farm - $9,000

Impacts of Deer on Forests Forest regeneration – 2.1 million acres of state forest land –Bureau of Forestry expense - $2 million on fencing –Biodiversity-plants, songbirds, understory species –Loss of timber production - $400 million annually

Negative Impacts on Communities Landscaping and ornamentals –Damage to nurseries - $15,000 per member –Control costs - $5,000 per member Deer-vehicle collisions Lyme Disease Community conflicts

Management Options No population control –Hands off –Damage control – fencing, repellents Population Control –Non-lethal methods Habitat alteration Capture and relocation –Fertility control

Lethal Methods Predator introduction Parasite or disease introduction Poison Capture and kill – alter regulations, sharp-shooters, etc. Bait and shoot Traditional hunting

Damage Control Fencing –how high? –$ /A depending on type & site conditions –maintenance required –aesthetics Repellents –taste & odor $10-400/acre for chemicals; labor? –noise-makers Supplemental feeding- draw them to food

Deer Exclosures

Dominance off Ferns

Habitat Alteration Reduce food and/or cover; carrying capacity differs by habitat –Seedling/sapling stage - 60 deer per mi 2 –Pole timber – 5 deer per mi 2 –Saw timber – 20 deer per mi 2

Capture & Relocation Drive nets, tranquilizer darts, etc. $ per deer depending on technique Stress and injury to deer (and handlers) Most areas already overpopulated with deer Unfamiliarity with new area – estimated ¾ die within one year

Fertility Control Steroidal “birth control pills”; how long does it last? –GonaCon and Spayvac; neither are approved Immunocontraceptives Neutering Expense, non-target effects (can they be eaten?) Must impact a large % of females Maximal effect may take 5+ years

Predator Introduction…right!

Hunting What are the PROs and CONs? How to do it?

The Bambi Syndrome