1. 2015 Survey of Residents’ Attitudes on Deer and Deer Management Summary of Findings Central Finger Lakes Management Unit

2. Purpose of resident survey was to characterize residents’: interests in and concerns about local deer experiences with deer and perceptions of change in level of human interactions with deer opinions on the importance of addressing various types of deer-human interactions overall attitude toward deer and perception of the cost/benefit ratio associated with presence of deer

3. Wildlife Management Unit Aggregates

4. Central Finger Lakes Management Unit

6. WMU 8J (n=1,000) WMU 7H (1,000) WMU 8S (n=1,000)

7. 2015 Mail Survey 4-wave mail survey, March-April 2015 228 follow-up telephone interviews with non- respondents, May 2015

8. Survey Response Rate Unit 7H (n=1,000) Unit 8J (n=1,000) Unit 8S (n=1,000) Total (n=3,000) Deliverable9539579582,868 Responses4964435151,456 Response rate52%46%54%51% Weight factor0.331.890.89 Mean age of respondents 61 years old; 64% were male 11% farm; 30% from nonfarm rural area; 39% village/hamlet; 18% small city

9. Results: Interests in and concerns about deer Interactions with deer and perceived change in interaction levels Interactions that residents want to receive management attention Indicators of community tolerance for deer-related impacts

10. Interests in Local Deer Not at all Slightly / moderately Very / extremely (%) Knowing deer are healthy62272 Knowing deer pop. Is doing well112862 Seeing deer in local area104149 Seeing deer near your home174142 Photographing deer403822 Hunting deer571430

11. Concerns about Local Deer Not at all Slightly / moderately Very / extremely (%) Getting Lyme disease83261 Injury from deer-car collision83260 Regrowth of natural plants124642 Deer-related crop damage124841 Loss of plant, animal diversity154937 Damage to plants around home204635 Problems assoc. with hunting264331

12. Concerns about Local Deer Not at all Slightly / moderately Very / extremely (%) Getting Lyme disease83261 Injury from deer-car collision83260 Regrowth of natural plants124642 Deer-related crop damage124841 Loss of plant, animal diversity154937 Damage to plants around home204635 Problems assoc. with hunting264331

13. “Other” Interests and Concerns

14. Problems with hunters, opposition to hunting (n=18) Deer-vehicle collisions (n=14) Ticks and tick-borne illnesses (n=12) Deer damaging landscaping plants, gardens (n=10) Seeing deer (n=10) Wildlife habitat (n=6) Deer-related impacts on livestock (n=4)

15. “Other” Interests and Concerns Problems with hunters, opposition to hunting (n=18) Deer-vehicle collisions (n=14) Ticks and tick-borne illnesses (n=12) Deer damaging landscaping plants, gardens (n=10) Seeing deer (n=10) Wildlife habitat (n=6) Deer-related impacts on livestock (n=4) Controlling the size of deer population (n=36) Deer hunting, regulation preferences (n=25) Protecting deer, feeding deer, deer welfare (n=11) Deer predators (e.g., coyotes, wolves) (n=6) White deer (i.e., Seneca Army Depot deer) (n=6) Use of venison as a food source (n=5) Keeping deer out of residential areas (n=4)

16. Negative Human-deer Interactions

17. 67% had gardens, plantings - 46% had experienced deer damage to plants

18. Negative Human-deer Interactions 67% had gardens, plantings - 46% had experienced deer damage to plants 58% drive often in deer areas - 39% had experienced DRVA

19. Negative Human-deer Interactions 67% had gardens, plantings - 46% had experienced deer damage to plants 58% drive often in deer areas - 39% had experienced DRVA 25% owned woodlots - 8% had experienced forest damage

20. Negative Human-deer Interactions 67% had gardens, plantings - 46% had experienced deer damage to plants 58% drive often in deer areas - 39% had experienced DRVA 25% owned woodlots - 8% had experienced forest damage 12% owned farm land - 11% had experienced crop damage

21. Perceived Change in Last 5 Years DecreasedAbout Same IncreasedDon’t know (%) Number of deer you see around home 2242325 Number of deer you see in local area 2037384 Amount of damage to plants around home 20432413

22. Perceived Change in Last 5 Years DecreasedAbout Same IncreasedDon’t know (%) # Deer-car collisions6273532 Deer hunting opportunity 21271339 Damage to natural plants, forests 10291546 # deer harvested20211048 Amt. of crop damage10231651 Cases of Lyme disease8162156

23. Importance Placed on Addressing Deer-related Concerns Not at all Slightly / moderately Very / extremely (%) Tick-borne illnesses32373 Deer health and wellbeing43066 Deer-vehicle collisions43364 Deer-related crop damage64153 Damage to natural plants104743 Damage to plants around home115039

24. Indicators of tolerance: Overall attitude toward local deer Perceived cost/benefit ratio of having deer present

25. Overall Attitude Toward Deer AllWMU 7H WMU 8J WMU 8S (%) Enjoy deer and do not worry 32243729 Enjoy deer but worry about problems deer may cause54575258 Do not enjoy deer, regard them as a nuisance813510 No particular feelings about deer 6664

26. Overall Attitude Toward Deer AllWMU 7H WMU 8J WMU 8S (%) Enjoy deer and do not worry 32243729 Enjoy deer but worry about problems deer may cause54575258 Do not enjoy deer, regard them as a nuisance813510 No particular feelings about deer 6664

27. Perceived Cost/Benefit Ratio Percent

28. Percent who had High Interest in Deer-related Activities or Conditions Impacts tolerance group Benefits exceed costs Costs exceed benefits (%) Knowing deer are healthy9049 Knowing deer pop. is doing well8629 Hunting deer4721 Seeing deer in local area8217 Seeing deer near your home7615 Photographing deer426

29. Percent who were Very/Extremely Concerned about Effects Associated with Deer Impacts tolerance group Benefits exceed costs Costs exceed benefits (%) Injury from deer-car collision3782 Getting Lyme disease4378 Damage to plants around home1172 Over browsing of habitat2071 Regrowth of natural plants2069 Deer-related crop damage1867 Loss of plant, animal diversity2164

30. Percent who Placed High Importance on Addressing Deer-related Concerns Impacts tolerance group Benefits exceed costs Costs exceed benefits (%) Tick-borne illnesses5988 Deer-vehicle collisions4486 Deer-related crop damage3276 Damage to plants around home1371 Damage to natural plants2468

31. Source: Glenda Powers Fotoloa.com Next steps?