Suburban Bowhunting Deer
Urban sprawl has consumed large amounts of habitat once used by resident whitetail deer. Deer adapt by reducing their travel range and utilizing non-traditional properties and forage for survival. Natural predators of adult deer no longer remain in our environment, allowing deer populations to escalate to unhealthy and dangerous conditions. Results of aerial photo’s in 2003, revealed over 80 deer per square mile in parts of West County, St. Louis. Healthy deer herds are considered stable at 20 deer per square mile.
Recent studies by the CDC conclude that the dramatic increase in Lyme Disease rates are directly related to deer population in urban settings. Numerous other deer borne diseases can afflict humans. The incidence of disease increase as the rising deer populations remains in close contact with humans.
Homeowners face thousands of dollars in damage annually due to deer eating shrubs, flowers, ornamentals and gardens. Homeowners become frustrated and must focus their time and money towards deer repellents, fences, and changes to their desired ornamental plantings.
Deer over browsing of the limited habitat destroys small seedlings and groundcover that provide habitat for other wildlife (songbirds, pollen bees, butterflies, amphibians and other small mammals). Oak and Hickory seedlings are destroyed allowing less desirable trees to flourish. Over browsing has a far reaching impact on the wooded areas of the future, which will limit the carrying capacity of our land.
Last year in the U.S. there was an estimated 1.5 million deer related auto accidents with 29,000 injuries, 200 deaths and damage costs of $1 billion.
We help some property owners by installing deer fencing.
Biologists, animal rights groups, and wildlife managers agree, the key to effective deer herd management is a sustained reduction of breeding female deer, which controls deer reproduction rates.
Trapping or tranquilizing with relocation euthanasia are extremely expensive and difficult tasks to effectively manage deer herds year after year. Birth Control options are cost prohibitive and difficult to administer. Limited studies have been conducted to determine the impact of birth control steroids on the Eco-system. Sharpshooters have limited application and are cost intensive. Most sharpshooter operations require baiting, shooting by spotlight, and use of high-powered rifles, all of these are illegal in St. Louis County urban areas. Fencing, repellents, and deer resistant forage are costly options and limit property owner landscaping choices. Deer will concentrate on suitable properties and the deer herd will continue to grow.
All across America, suburban areas are turning to archery hunting as a safe, cost effective and efficient means to control urban deer populations. Deer herd management must focus on sustainable control methods. Deer can not be controlled by short term, quick fix experiments. Annual harvesting of mature female deer (doe) is needed to stabilize the deer herd to a suitable level.
There were 35,000 deer harvested last year in Missouri by 100,000 bow hunters with NO injuries to by-standers. Archery hunting is conducted at close range and from elevated positions. These factors allow the arrow to quickly travel to the ground. The National Safety Council statistics show that archery hunting is one of the safest sports in the United States.
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