Deer problems in the city

[Paddy]

I'll bet we are not the only community with Deer population issues in our city. Dogs have been killed, gardens raided. Our situation has gotten so bad, they are hiring exterminators/sharp shooters to thin the population. Hard to imagine how just 20 years ago deer sighting were only when out in the forest, now they can be seen in town walking down the street. We live out in the country, but bad out here as well.

I've never hunted deer, not sure what I'd do with all that meat! But we can't have any garden with out major fencing. They are so brave. I put up a fence around my AC unit and planted Cucumbers. This was to serve as a "hide the AC" but also get plenty of cukes. Not only did the deer strip all the plant mater off the outside of the fence, they managed to squeeze between the AC and the fence, 18" away!

I planted two Redbud trees this spring next to the front door, they have striped they over and over.

I'm about ready to start hunting deer.....

 

[Gary Fowler]

Out of control deer populations usually turn out just as you are saying. When they get so numerous that the normal food source is not enough, they turn to the yards of city dwellers. The only way to end the problem is thin the herd. Buffalo, NY had to hire hunters to take out a large number of deer back in the 80s that were destroying the greenery of the city. There was a deer under every shrub in town. This isn't good for the deer or the human population. IIRC they used bow hunters and traps to thin the herd and all the meat went to feed the homeless which helped out on both ends of the food chain. The deer's food source became able to feed the population again and the damage to local greenery eased up.

I think a good outside dog will help you more in the short term to keep the deer off your land more so than fencing. We had deer stripping the small trees here when we first bought the place but after adding a couple of dogs, they have moved on to easier pickings.

 

[Baby Grand]

We are going to fence in all of our food growing gardens next year. The damage they did to our vegetables is unbelievable. They are so bold that you really have to get within 20 to 30 feet while shouting and waiving your arms before they bolt.

It's a shame that there's so much resistance to herd thinning. The painful, agonizing death by starvation and disease resulting from overpopulation without apex predators is inhumane compared to a quick kill by a skilled hunter. We have a lot of "animal lovers" who don't understand that a natural life isn't like a Disney feature film - it's hard and seldom has a happy ending.

 

[fordmantpw]

It's a shame that there's so much resistance to herd thinning. The painful, agonizing death by starvation and disease resulting from overpopulation without apex predators is inhumane compared to a quick kill by a skilled hunter. We have a lot of "animal lovers" who don't understand that a natural life isn't like a Disney feature film - it's hard and seldom has a happy ending.

Agreed! I'm trying to teach that to my children at a young age. My daughter harvested her first deer last year at the age of 10.

 

[MacLawn]

Good fordman! Teach them young'uns how to rise, kill and eat! The rascals have taken over in my city. I hope to get at least one when bow season opens here. Right outside my back door! I think it's gotten to the point where it'd be about impossible to hunt them out of cities. Not enough hunters, too many deer.