|
|
Deer Overpopulation Causes Problems
By
Katie
Pratt
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 31, 2007) – Deer overpopulation is a
growing problem across the state, causing damage to crops and
landscapes.
Tom Barnes, University of Kentucky extension wildlife
specialist, said the state’s deer population has doubled during
the past 20 years. Kentucky is now home to approximately 1
million deer.
“Deer problems are something we’re going to be facing for a long
time,” Barnes said.
Deer damaging crops is not a new problem. Barnes said deer
damage crops every year, but most of the damage occurs long
before the harvest when crops, such as corn and soybeans, are in
their tender stages.
“One of the reasons landowners get upset is because deer are in
their crops at a time when you’re not allowed to hunt them,” he
said.
Deer crop damage could be tough for some farmers to deal with
this year because it’s in addition to drought damage. Facing a
potentially smaller crop than in past years, some farmers are
worried about losses or profit reductions.
“Most landowners enjoy seeing deer and wildlife on their
property, but it’s when it gets to point where the economic
damage is affecting farmers’ livelihoods that most begin to
become concerned with deer densities,” he said.
Bracken County is struggling with this problem. Farmers there
have experienced tremendous crop damage this year. David
Appelman, UK extension agent for agriculture and natural
resources in Bracken County, said farmers report more crop
damage every year as deer populations continue to rise.
Bracken County farmers face a lack of forage for livestock this
winter because of the drought, he said. This makes it necessary
for farmers to ration feed. If deer eat any of the forage, it
becomes more noticeable.
“Our farmers are outstanding stewards of the land and don’t mind
sharing some of their hay fields with two or three deer, but
when a herd of 20 or 30 deer are grazing alongside their cows,
it’s a real financial burden,” Appelman said.
A deer’s diet includes more than 650 different types of food,
and their favorite crops include corn, soybeans, fruits and
alfalfa, Barnes said. The one crop deer don’t like is tobacco.
Appelman said many Bracken County farmers are diversifying their
crops by growing fruits and vegetables, but these are some of
the areas hit the hardest by deer damage.
“It is almost impossible to grow any food or ornamental crop
without a fence due to the deer,” Appelman said. “Blueberries,
apples, peppers and melons have received heavy damage from the
deer.”
As a means of population control, the county’s Cooperative
Extension Service and the Bracken County Agricultural
Advancement Council are partnering to hold a contest promoting
doe harvests Nov. 10 at the Bracken County Extension Office
Youth Livestock Facility. By reducing the numbers of reproducing
females, doe harvests make a greater impact toward reducing the
overall deer population.
“The goal of the contest is to get hunters to realize there
isn’t a stigma associated with harvesting a doe and encourage
hunters to harvest doe,” said Christopher Simeral, contest
organizer and the county’s 4-H youth development extension
agent.
Campbell County has also experienced problems with deer damaging
residents’ landscapes and gardens this year, said D.J. Scully,
Campbell County natural resources and environmental management
extension agent. Deer have damaged a lot of traditional home
landscaping in the county. Damage caused by deer this summer was
worse than in previous years, most likely a result of the
drought.
“With people watering their lawns this summer, landscapes were
nice and green,” he said. “To deer searching for food,
well-maintained landscapes looked like a buffet.”
Scully said the worst may be yet to come, as male deer do damage
to landscape during the fall rutting season by rubbing their
antlers against trees and shrubbery. With a potentially low food
supply, residents could see deer foraging in their landscapes
throughout the winter.
|
|
Contact: Christopher Simeral, 606-735-2141
Thomas Barnes, 859-257-8633
D.J. Scully, 859-572-2600
David Appelman, 606-735-2141
|
|
The UK College
of Agriculture, through its land-grant mission, reaches across
the commonwealth with teaching, research and extension
to enhance the lives of Kentuckians. |
Questions/Comments,
e-mail the
webmaster
Copyright © 2001-2006 University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture,
Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service |
News Home
Other Headlines This Week
More
News
Atom (RSS) Now Available
for those
using news aggregation programs
College News
|
