Is culling an effective strategy for deer management?
Is culling an effective strategy for deer management?
The most common solution implemented to reduce deer numbers in urban and suburban areas is a controlled hunt or cull. Culling is the term used for killing deer outside the normal regulatory framework for hunting (NYSDEC, 2018). By contrast, a controlled hunt is a hunt that is limited in scope and season, and usually provides a small number of tags. The goal of a controlled hunt or cull is generally targeted deer management in a particular location. In West Seneca, where hunting is not permitted under New York State regulations, culling is the only option for lethal management available. For details on how a cull could be implemented in accordance with state laws, please see our FAQ on culling methods.
Questions about the effectiveness of lethal control measures are common when a town is faced with a decision about deer management. In reality, effectiveness may vary based on the situation and on the goals of the town conducting the management. Few studies have been conducted that quantify the level of population reduction seen by deer management programs - however this is primarily because the goals of such programs are typically a reduction in perceived impact by the community rather than some predetermined reduction in deer number. In other words, if the community perceives a reduction in deer-related issues (deer-vehicle collisions, property damage, Lyme disease transmission, etc), then the program has been successful. Culling programs are typically long-term endeavors, and harvest goals may be adjusted from year to year based on results, measured by examining decreases in resident concerns.
There have been several studies that have looked specifically at the success of controlled hunts or culling programs.
A study of deer sharpshooting programs in Iowa, New Jersey, and Ohio resulted in deer population reductions ranging from 54-76%, and reductions in deer-vehicle collisions of 49-78% (DeNicola and Williams, 2008).
A study of controlled bow hunting measures employed in Westchester County, NY indicated that bow hunting was likely to reduce deer densities to values lower than historical peaks, yet higher than may necessary for forest regeneration (Weckel and Rockwell, 2013).
A survey of deer biologists indicated that managed archery hunts (85% of states), sharpshooting (68%), and managed firearm hunts (59%) were the most utilized methods for managing suburban deer populations. Biologists ranked managed firearm hunts (54%) as the most preferred method for deer control, followed by managed archery hunt (39%) and sharpshooting (39%), and 88% of biologists surveyed felt that their deer management programs were effective (Urbanek et al., 2011).
A study of controlled hunts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania successfully reduced deer population densities from 30-80 deer per square km to 17-18 deer per square km over a period of 3-10 years. However, these efforts occurred in areas where regular hunting was permitted, and worked within the regular state hunting framework. The study concluded that for long-term management, additional sharpshooting or adjustments to hunting regulations may be necessary to maintain these population levels (Williams et al., 2013).
References:
Denicola, A.J. and S.C. Williams. 2008. Sharpshooting suburban white-tailed deer reduces deer–vehicle collisions. Human-Wildlife Interactions 2(1): 28-33. Accessed at https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/24875103.pdf?casa_token=I6bUpVrs1_AAAAAA:9ambHjSeFpT_T4DrSZ4nm0lLcZdpHoSBTU-kBlPN9QzoyxvICbywU9zzSYvLLzjhsa6_hr2PeYbuMhUYYypj4l7BfP4os8ll3Ei6CLCaAg4CJGK0bB-G
NYSDEC. 2018. Community Deer Management Guide. Accessed at https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/commdeermgmtguide.pdf
Urbanek, R.E., K.R. Allen, and C.K. Nielsen. 2011. Urban and suburban deer management by state wildlife-conservation agencies. Wildlife Society Bulletin 35(3): 310-315. Accessed at https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/wsb.37
Weckel, M. and R.F. Rockwell. 2013. Can controlled bow hunts reduce overabundant white-tailed deer populations in suburban ecosystems? Ecological Moddelling 250: 143-154. Accessed at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304380012005200?casa_token=XLYfuoA4R9wAAAAA:LVj3CYHYQdOY9GN24-7p3zPrRC994pN6OrKlvTViyL4fZ5TItA-Uknm5xDyecQsIGcKdo5SPShY
Williams, S.C., A.J. Denicola, T. Almendinger, and J. Maddock. 2013. Evaluation of organized hunting as a management technique for overabundant white-tailed deer in suburban landscapes. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37(1): 137-145. Accessed at https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/wsb.236