Deer Protection
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Deer Protection
- From: g* d* <d*@facstaff.wm.edu>
- Date: Mon, 3 Mar 1997 06:29:26 -0700 (MST)
I've been getting Iris-L in digest form for months and haven't
participated much, but I have spent the last two years of my life working
on the issue of deer management and have to comment. I am intrigued by
the Japanese approach but doubt it will work--for one thing we have
completely different species of deer in the U.S.! As for the human hair
suggestion, in populated areas human scent from hair or urine (another
technique!) doesn't have much of a deterrent effect. Besides, in many
parts of the US it is illegal for barbers/hairdressers to dispose of hair
by giving it away so you put that person in an awkward position by asking!
If you use commerical repellents religiously (reapplied after rains) they will
protect some plants IF deer have other things to eat--BUT they will adapt
and eat treated plants if they are hungry enough! One inexpensive and
sometimes effective strategy is to sprinkle bloodmeal around the plants
you want to protect (also needs reapplication after awhile). If deer are
really destroying landscaping they are probably overpopulated in your
area. Without predators, deer will reproduce so rapidly that they will
overpopulate and eventually die of starvation/parasites/disease. Most
communities should choose to try to control the population before this
point as the habitat for songbirds and small mammals will be destroyed as
will native plants and even hardwood regeneration in forested areas.
Your state Natural Resource agency or Game Dept. should be able to infomr
you on any management they are doing--if they do not have a plan, they
should! Most herd reductions involve controlled hunts or
sharpshooting--contraceptive research is underway, but it isn't useful
unless you have a captive population of deer (on an island, in a park in
the middle of an urban area, etc.)
Debbie Green in Williamsburg, VA
