Canada Deer News
Princeton is allowing deer-feeders to go unreported February 1, 2012 Canada, Similkameen Spotlight
... Princeton residents are not allowed to make anonymous complaints to town hall about their neighbours feeding deer ... Most people don't want their neighbour to know they reported them ...
.... Jane Doe: The Tale of an Urban Deer, a documentary inspired by the Capital Regional District's impending deer-management plan. It's about the fate of those creatures urban dwellers ... Hager is hunting for a handful of residents with a professional or personal interest in the urban deer herds. She hopes to develop a story using their experiences and blend it with "the bigger story unfolding on the community level." ... To share your urban deer story, contact Hager at urbandeerinvictoria@gmail. com.
Invermere: Deer issue packs Invermere council January 25, 2012 British Columbit, Canada, Invermere Valley Echo
Invermere will spend up to $35000 culling as many as 100 mule and white-tailed deer ... Opposition to the local cull — the third in this region — has been on the rise in recent weeks, with Facebook groups such as 'Stop the Slaughter of Invermere's Urban Deer' attracting several hundred members ...
...In many Vancouver Island communities deer are becoming a “nuisance” .... However, sadly, humans are causing most of these problems.... new development around Crown Isle has removed yet more deer habitat forcing them into smaller safe areas, most of the local golf courses have become sanctuaries providing shelter and a wonderful smorgasbord of food... this also creates a new set of problems for the deer as the herds start to interbreed ...
A vocal pro-hunting minority has tried to turn a few isolated human and wildlife conflicts into mass hysteria for a BC wide deer cull. Contrary to government claims there are successful non-lethal solutions that include common sense and sterilization ... Lifeforce’s Worldwide Petition to Stop the Killing of 225 deer was signed by 1,000 people from Dec. 7 to Dec. 12.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/78/stop-the-kill-of-225-deer/
Deer shot with arrows spotted alive near Princeton school January 23, 2012 British Columbia, Canada, Similkameen Spotlight
Two deer with arrows stuck in them were reported walking near John Allison Elementary School ... anyone with information about people shooting arrows within town limits to call Report All Poachers and Polluters at 1-877-952-7277 or go to www.rapp.bc.ca.
... Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft says opposition the deer kill is growing, as is the number of nasty letters he's receiving at City Hall.... "Most of them are coming from out of the community and region — from as far as Europe. Then there are local groups that are forming and local opposition as well." ... One of those local opposition groups is a new organization called the Humane Treatment of Urban Wildlife.... Led by Colleen Bailey of Cranbrook, the group hopes to halt the cull before it reaches Invermere.
A pack of dogs can run a deerto deer to death in the snow, but generally it's just for fun. Often, they're well-fed dogs who have been permitted to illegally run loose and they chase after wild deer for sport; ...
When Penticton City Council dropped its 2012 budget deficit they also cut spending to the controversial deer cull program from $20000 to $10000 ... Councillor Judy Sentes suggested lowering the budget ... the idea for the deer cull program was created it was proposed by a councillor who is no longer with the city.... "When we decided we would look into this scenario of need, there was no quantification to it, there were no numbers, just a concern that there would be a significant accident."
The Department of Natural Resources plans to shut down all of the illegal deer farms in the province, officials confirmed on Wednesday. A total of 15 illegal white-tailed deer operations have been identified, officials said. ...
Coun. Jason Earle asked council on Jan. 9 to consider mailing out surveys to see if people are bothered by deer in Princeton... He said the same five people complain to council about urban deer,.... Brian Harris, biologist with the Ministry of Forests and Land ... relocating deer can be difficult because they often stray into other communities ... recommends transporting deer at least 20 kilometres outside the community so they don’t wander back [if relocation is used].
... These lovely creatures didn’t ask to be born here. Trapping, sedating and returning them to the wild is the fairest solution to them, and one that we can all live with (at an infinitesimal fraction of the cost of that stadium roof in Vancouver)...
... For every person who thinks greater wildlife control is required to reduce the number of accidents, someone else thinks nature should simply be left alone.... a City of Winnipeg report released this week show the number of deer collisions has steadily risen in Manitoba in recent years -- from 6,330 in 2005 to 7,475 in 2010... it would cost $700,000 to build a 10-kilometre perimeter. ... [transportation safety alternatives] ... it's difficult to tell whether the deer population has increased or decreased since the province has not done a recent wildlife survey in the area or in Winnipeg.
I have had close calls with unleashed dogs and cars, but never with deer. They either run away or just stare at you. They are a wonderful sight. How soon it appears people forget that the deer were resident of this area long before we were. ... Ninety per cent of the complaints seem seem to come from Oak Bay because they eat flowers...
... an attack against a deer witnessed by residents, with the injured doe having to be put down by a responder at the scene... Residents like Bexs Samaras of Gibsons said the event highlights a need to increase protections for the Town’s wildlife. “It was such a savage scene ...
BC Premier Christy Clark and her Liberal government have previously issued three permits to kill up to 225 deer in Cranbrook, Kimberly and Invermere. Grand Forks is also considering killing deer...
The BC Government refused to even discuss Lifeforce’s offer to try humane deterrents to prevent deer and human conflicts. ... We the undersign support a worldwide boycott of any city in British Columbia, Canada that kill the urban deer....
Is it now Deer Valley Parkway? [few deer collisions in Toronto] January 13, 2012, Town Crier Newspapers
... Despite its large number of parks and vehicles Toronto had the fourth fewest number of reported wildlife/motor vehicle collisions in 2008, the latest year for which Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation can provide such data... “They compile the data and then will assess if there’s enough collisions that it warrants putting up cautionary signs,” he said.
... contractor Larry Mullikin ... will receive $300 plus HST per deer ... council also inserted a clause in Mullikin's contract that will allow it to cancel the cull outright if the majority of members feel the method used to put the deer down is inhumane ... councillor Spring Hawes, who's expressed reluctance about killing ...
... up to 100 urban deer will be culled ... While the report said the government might agree to relocated deer to the Upper Kootenay River Valley, Taft says the district hasn't seen much enthusiasm provincially for the plan.
... five options to consider building the city’s deer management strategy upon: a limited-entry, controlled public hunt; a capture and cull program; public education and administrative actions; ongoing monitoring; and a consultation process with an advisory committee.... the controlled public hunt was unanimously removed by council ...Coun. Garry Litke ... “A controlled public hunt is an example of the cure being worse than the disease. People running around with guns ...
Penticton will join other Southern BC communities like Cranbrook and Kimberly ,,, Mayor, Dan Ashton and his council gave approval ... "The Ministry has bought traps themselves ...
... A Cranbrook contractor will be executing the deer for a fee of $350 per animal. One hundred mule deer will be taken at an overall cost of $35,000.
Does this make sense? I hope Victoria does not follow suit.
First things first. Let’s call it a mass slaughter and not a “cull”. Using euphemisms belittles us both.... killing dozens of wild animals does nothing to address human-wildlife conflicts. Research shows the remaining animals simply reproduce and other animals migrate to fill in the empty niche. Furthermore, this slaughter does not address the human behaviours that are at the root of this problem. ... where are the scientific studies to prove that killing them makes any ecological sense?
... a product called Bobbex Deer Repellent.Testing by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station revealed this product to be more effective than nine other commercial deer repellents in the marketplace (including coyote urine), and gave it a 93 per cent protection index, second only to a fence at 100 per cent... it works by mimicking predator scents, and is classed as a fear repellent.
Jack Schrier, former fish and game council member in New Jersey has stated, “Net and bolt is barbaric. It works in slaughterhouses only because the animals are limited to a single-file lane, restrained and unable to wriggle or struggle. In the field it is impossible – impossible – to have the poor creatures hold still long enough for the bolt to be accurately used...
This is the cruel act of baiting and trapping an innocent wild creature, caged throughout the night, cold and terrified, and in the predawn hours approaching it, restrained by collapsed netting, thrashing and crying in terror as a four-inch steel spike is driven into its brain... Can the CRD not find better use of taxpayer money than to cater to the demands of less than one per cent of the population of Victoria with a senseless, unjustifiable slaughter of our urban deer? There are humane non-lethal solutions for every deer problem in our city
Parkway construction gives wildlife the boot January 4, 2012 Canada, Windsor Star
... several natural areas have disappeared during construction of the $1.4-billion Windsor-Essex Parkway ... Wings Wildlife Rehabilitation took in 24 orphan deer ... "The deer are getting confused (with the presence of heavy equipment) and we are finding more babies not with their mothers," ... Following fence installation in the parkway construction corridor, it's become common to find mother deer ending up on one side and babies on the other ...
Dryden looking into deer hunt January 3, 2011 Ontario, Canada, The Chronicle Journal
Council is hosting a special public meeting on Jan. 18 at the Dryden Regional Training and Cultural Centre to hear from residents on the deer problem. ... In Dryden, hunters are allowed to shoot deer in rural areas ...According to a 2008 study released by a major insurance company ... projected that 50 drivers and passengers would die in collisions with deer annually [in Canada]
The dog has a limp but will recover. Its owner says something should be done about the deer population in the Capital Regional District but doesn’t believe a cull is the answer. ... The CRD says it will decide on a plan of action in the coming months. A number of options have already been suggested to the District including fencing desirable locations and scaring deer teams of dogs.
... The city has called a meeting in January to get public feedback on whether to allow bow hunting in city limits. Dryden's city manager Joe van Koeverden said ... they are paying attention to communities like Kenora and Thunder Bay, which voted to allow restricted bow hunting. “Obviously we have to take a close watch of what everybody else is doing … see what [other] cities are trying and what's working, what's not,”
... In 2010, there were nearly 20,000 accidents in the CRD; less than one per cent involved collisions with deer. None of the accidents involving deer were fatal, except, of course, to the deer. If we are serious about improving safety on our roads, we will have to focus on the real problem - too many vehicles and too many careless drivers. Culling the deer will do nothing, in the long term, to make our roads safer.
Consultation needed on killing deer December 29, 2011 Canada, Victoria Times Colonist,
N.R. Spogliarich
I recently read an article claiming a "loud and clear" message calling for deer management had been received by the CRD. On closer inspection, I found that this conclusion was based on no more than a few hundred letters of complaint received last August, mostly from Oak Bay residents reporting damage to their gardens. This is not even close to the kind of consultation that is necessary in this matter. What is the opinion of the other hundreds of thousands of Greater Victoria residents? ...
I recently read an article claiming a "loud and clear" message calling for deer management had been received by the CRD. On closer inspection, I found that this conclusion was based on no more than a few hundred letters of complaint received last August, mostly from Oak Bay residents reporting damage to their gardens. This is not even close to the kind of consultation that is necessary in this matter. What is the opinion of the other hundreds of thousands of Greater Victoria residents? ...
Deer cull on CRD radar for 2012 December 27, 2011 Canada, Victoria Times Colonist
...When asked directly if the CRD will consider a cull, [Board chairman Geoff] Young said: "It appears that is the direction we are being led toward." ... It's estimated there are about 50,000 deer on Vancouver Island,... ICBC data show deerrelated motor-vehicle collisions in CRD municipalities have increased ... to more than 100 collisions in 2010 from 35 reported in 2000. .. The issue of a limited cull has been brought up at CRD meetings by former Central Saanich mayor Jack Mar ...
...When asked directly if the CRD will consider a cull, [Board chairman Geoff] Young said: "It appears that is the direction we are being led toward." ... It's estimated there are about 50,000 deer on Vancouver Island,... ICBC data show deerrelated motor-vehicle collisions in CRD municipalities have increased ... to more than 100 collisions in 2010 from 35 reported in 2000. .. The issue of a limited cull has been brought up at CRD meetings by former Central Saanich mayor Jack Mar ...
Provincial deer biologist Rod Cumberland said ... that increasing numbers of predators roaming the forests like coyotes, changing agricultural and forestry practices, coupled with a series of winters with very deep snows, have dramatically cut the number of deer in New Brunswick... the white-tail deer, which is experiencing the combined effect of a drop in numbers and an unusual migration into suburban areas from the forests, to the point where some communities near Saint John are pondering a cull.
Does NB have any real flying reindeer? December 24, 2011 Canada, Times and Transcript
...DNA analysis that told us there is only one genus of this animal, Rangifer tarandus.... in Lapland ...call them reindeer or in Canada ... call them caribou ... in 1900, it was stated "there were very few deer (white-tailed deer) in the Tobique-Nepisiquit country, but caribou were there in great numbers".... As forest clearing ... became more common in the late 1800s ... white-tailed deer moved in ... carried a parasite, commonly called Brain Worm ... as white-tailed deer numbers increased ... From 1900 to the 1920s, the caribou decline was rapid...
By Joshua Estabrooks
... The District of Invermere has permits for approximately 100 deer, which represents about a third of the population estimated to be residing in the municipality.... Invermere’s Mayor, Gerry Taft, said he expects the cull to begin in his community in January or February ... Each community struck their own urban deer management committee ...
Kimberly: Deer population management in Kimberley December 23, 2011 Canada, Kimberley Daily Bulletin
... the decision to perform a cull of 100 animals has been made and that will begin in January... The government permit allows Kimberley to take 100 deer, mule only... "White tails must be released," [ Coun. Darryl Oakley] said. "We don't want to use our tag up on white tails. Mules and white tails are two different species. A white tail's response to fight or flight is usually flight. A mule deer is opposite. They fight." ... counts last year had the population at about 240 animals. He believes that no count sees all the deer and you need to add 30 to 40 per cent to that.
A strategy to trap and hunt deer was approved by the previous council in September but the new council will wait for a review of culls in other BC communities before proceeding...
Nanaimo City watching effects of Interior deer cull December 23, 2011 Canada, Nanaimo News Bulletin
... In early October, the Kootenay city of Cranbrook was approved by the B.C. government to cull 25 deer .."We know there will be a strong resistance to a cull and personally I'm opposed to one as well ... " said [Mayor John] Ruttan. "The city takes the position this is a provincial matter ... The city doesn't have the training ... even if there was a desire to do it and in my opinion, there isn't." ... Cranbrook harbours larger, more aggressive mule deer, while Nanaimo is home to smaller black-tailed deer.
A deer at a game farm in the Prince Albert District died as a result of chronic wasting disease, a test confirmed last month... This is the fourth case reported throughout the province so far this year, McIsaac said - other cases including a May 15 elk, a Jan. 19 deer, and another Jan. 4 deer... First popping up in Saskatchewan in 1996, over the years 47,580 wild animals have been tested, of which 250 mule deer, 61 white tail deer, and three elk have tested positive for chronic wasting disease.
... donations of moose, deer and other wild game are not welcome in Ontario food banks. Citing strict provincial health regulations, Food Banks Canada is maintaining a “strong recommendation” ... the Safari Club International’s donation of deer steaks and ground venison was rejected by a food bank in Lanark, Ont.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a white tail deer tested positive for the fatal disorder last month on a farm in the Prince Albert district. The farm where the deer tested positive has been quarantined ... it’s a mandatory requirement for cervid producers in Saskatchewan to submit heads from animals over 12 months of age that die unexpectedly ...
... Contractor Carmen Purdy set up the traps ... hired last month after stepping down as chair of the city's deer committee... The city has allocated $13,000 for the contractor ... Kimberley's deer count last fall found an average of 20 deer per square kilometre... the goal was to target mule deer.... The cull is controversial ... It is an ongoing program now
... Cranbrook, B.C. requested, and received, provincial approval to cull its deer. Their target for this year is 25 “problem” deer. Others will be relocated. They also propose to train border collies to scare off aggressive mothers or rutting males. Other communities are watching to see if Cranbrook solves its deer problem.
... Cranbrook is the first municipality in B.C. to get a permit from the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, the provincial agency responsible for deer control... In the middle of the night, the contractor checks the traps. Any caught deer are then killed with a bolt gun similar to the tool used for killing in slaughterhouses ...
The province has issued a permit for killing deer in the city of Cranbrook. Kimberley and Invermere have also applied for deer cull permits. The method to be used is the clover trap/bolt gun ... The Capital Regional District in Victoria is asking for feedback from the public about a deer cull in this city. What is not widely known is that there are immunocontraceptive vaccines available for use on wildlife in Canada and the U.S. These have been tested and proven effective.... If you do not want to witness a clover trap/bolt gun kill in your backyard, speak out before it is too late.
Reindeer are members of the deer family living in northern areas of arctic Europe, Asia and North America. In North America, reindeer are often referred to as caribou and are essentially the same animal. Caribou are generally thought to be wild where reindeer are often domesticated ... the only deer species with both females and males having antlers
... the former burgeoning deer population in the Kenora district is in decline following several winters of extreme snow conditions ... The severe winter designation applies when snow depth of 50 cm or more occurs over 50 consecutive days. Deep snow makes it more difficult for deer to move through the bush, access food and escape predators. ... "A lot of American hunters come up for the first two weeks of November but not as many as before and a lot of resident hunters wait for them to leave before going out" ...
British Columbia: Stop the Kill of 225 Deer December 8, 2011 Canada, Care2 News NetworkBCPremier Christy Clark and her Liberal government have issued three permits to kill up to 225 deer and their fawns in Cranbrook, Kimberly and Invermere. The scared, frightened deer would be trapped then a bolt driven through their skulls. Government
Woodstock: No spke in deer collisions December 7, 2011 Woodstock Sentinel Review
... Ben Hindmarsh of the Alymer District Ministry of Natural Resources ... said there is nothing to indicate greater populations of deer this year... in neighbouring Perth County, a spike in vehicle-deer collisions in November has been noted. Perth County OPP reported a total of 68 vehicle-deer collisions in November, believed to be the most ever in a single month in the county. That was a 74% increase over the 39 collisions reported in November 2010...Oxford OPP say the number of deer versus vehicle collisions is roughly about the same as last year.
Proliferation of urban deer misleading December 7, 2011 Canada, CanadaEast.com, Fredericton
... Wildlife biologist Rod Cumberland says the herd went from a peak of about 200,000 in the 1980s to 75,000 today.... As more homes are built on the edges of cities and towns, deer lose their traditional habitat ... The invasion of coyotes in the province, which began in earnest in the 1970s, has also hurt the deer population.... more intensive agricultural and silvicultural practices have also exacted a toll on the herd.
The [urban] deer hunt: opinions December 3, 2011 Canada
... To look outside your living room window and see a beautiful creature such as a deer walking through your yard is a treasure....In their infinite wisdom, someone is deciding, for me, that this should not be. - Judy Mayor, Thunder Bay ... Turn deer intotourist attraction. Here is a possible solution to your deer problem. It could produce employment year-round for several people, it could satisfy animal lovers and be a tourist attraction. Jackson Hole has not one, but two such locations — one on each side of town to keep the animals off the city streets. - Owen B. Boland
... a video of a deer attacking a dog went viral ... the town was galvanized into action. The town is adopting the Helena, Mont., model of trapping deer, euthanizing them ... The deer are pleasing to see, but they can be dangerous to pets and people and destructive to landscaping ... You can't blame the doe mule deer for defending her fawn.
Deer collisions mystify December 2, 2011 Canada, Ontrio, London Free Press
...spike in vehicle-deer collisions in November has police wondering
what's responsible ... A higher white-tail deer population may not be to
blame. ..."Most of south-central and southwestern Ontario continues to enjoy relatively stable populations, but the numbers have declined in some areas from 2007-2009," said Colin Higgins, a MNR wildlife biologist ...only one of the crashes resulted in someone being injured.
Fence keeping deer off runway December 1, 2011 Canada, Fort Frances Times
The new deer fence at the Fort Frances Airport has been doing its job.... since it’s been up, no deer have been inside it.... The fence, about five km in length, is a 2.4-metre high, fixed-knot game fence complete with two-strand high-tensile wire. Funding for the fencing ... $589,900,
The new deer fence at the Fort Frances Airport has been doing its job.... since it’s been up, no deer have been inside it.... The fence, about five km in length, is a 2.4-metre high, fixed-knot game fence complete with two-strand high-tensile wire. Funding for the fencing ... $589,900,
An appreciation for deer November 30, 2011 Canada, British Columbia, BCLocalNews, Danni Louvros
... I love to see the deer roaming about, and through my yard... How many of us have NEVER had a problem in all our years. If it were an actual issue, we would hear of this happening a lot more with all the deer and people roaming around in the same space....I quite honestly don’t see an issue. It’s amazing what the people of Princeton have, and they don’t appreciate it none.
Cranbrook: These nets stop deer, not pucks November November 29, 2011 Canada, Globe and Mail
... “When the deer start feeding, they set off a little trap string that drops the door behind them, often in the middle of the night,” Mr. Zettel said. “Then when the contractors show up in the morning, they pull the pins and the top collapses down on the deer.”... Once trapped, animals are killed with a bolt gun, “the same type of device that’s used to kill livestock in a slaughterhouse,” .... The first B.C. municipality to receive a provincial permit to capture and kill deer inside its city limits, Cranbrook modelled its deer-cull program after a similar initiative in Helena, Montana ....
Thunder Bay: The deer hunt November 28, 2011 Canada, chroniclejournal.com
I am a Grade 6 student at Claude Garton School and I am outraged about the deer hunt.... The deer don’t cause the car accidents; our citizens do... The only reason the deer and wolves came to the city in the first place is because their habitat is being destroyed by us. Wildlife is Thunder Bay’s natural treasure and part of our city’s beauty.... Killing deer is the lazy and cheap way out. - Summer Jackson-Storm .... In my humble opinion it is not the over-population of deer that is making Thunder Bay unsafe - Kim Bunt-Raynak ... hunting within city limits is totally unacceptable! - Wanda Ewachow
... "If they are going to fine me, they might as well come down here at night and there will be 20 or 30 cars all along the roadways feeding the deer out of their cars. So they better nail everyone then," McCallum said.... Ron Bourret, the manager of licensing and enforcement with the city of Thunder Bay said feeding the deer on Mission Island has created traffic and safety issues that are starting to affect local businesses....
... Councillor Earle has started the process of implementing the urban ungulate conflict analysis that communities are required to follow in accordance with the provincial government.... “Cranbrook started the process two years ago. This isn’t a quick fix. The main thing residents need to do is report and document any interactions with wildlife...
According to canadawhitetails.com, the whitetail population of Ontario is 412,000. Compare that to Saskatchewan's population of 380,000.... In Saskatchewan, you can have two deer licenses, only the second of which is antlerless and they have .064 deer per square kilometre. In Ontario, you can only hunt an antlered deer unless you have an antlerless license and here we have 0.45 deer per square kilometre.
Deer population down in Peace Region November 23, 2011 Canada, Mile0city.ca
The Ministry of Natural Resource Operations says that at last count, the mule deer population in the Peace Region is down significantly from last year.... In 2011 they counted 18 fawns for every 100 does, down from 43 the year before and 37 in 2009.... can mostly be attributed to the longer than usual winter.... Meeting with farmers, the Ministry set targets to reduce the population 50 per cent from the peak numbers in 2005. ... "reached or exceeded" that goal, and are now focused on maintaining the numbers ...
Part two: A wildlife biologist's continued musings about urban deer issues November 23, 2011 Canada, BCLocalNews, Bob Lincoln
... Musing on the urban deer conflict, here are a couple options that occur to a wildlife biologist: Deer are inherently fearful of dogs. A dog confined to a landowner’s property, either by rigorous training or by an ‘invisible fence,’ could stand guard to keep deer away from a specific property....
Trained sheep-herding dogs, such as border collies, under control of a professional dog handler, could restore aversion of specific urban neighborhoods.
... Rod Cumberland, a biologist with the department, said the preliminary count of deer killed is 4,755....That's down by about 350 animals ... 2007, when hunters harvested about 10,000 deer... That year, there were about 110,000 deer in the province, there are now about 75,000... there's been a shift from the woods to around more urban, suburban areas
Deer are having tough time November 22, 2011 Canada, Times and Transcript, Everett Mosher
...The more severe than normal winters over the last several years has been a major killer of our deer yet we must also factor in the predations of coyotes, bear, bobcats, and domestic dogs. Deer also die by being hit by motor vehicles, illness, or old age. Then there are the human hunters. Not only should we count how many deer have been logged in at the various deer check stations, we must also factor in those not reported such as those killed by poachers,...
... City council, in a 10-3 decision, passed a recommendation that will see a by-law come before them allowing deer to be hunted by bow in certain areas of the city. It will also ban the feeding of deer. ... Joe Virdiramo, one of three councillors to turn the idea down, said that the city should take more time before it makes a decision.... “I’d like to see a full report,” Viridramo said. “Which wasn’t presented.” ... Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance executive director John Kaplanis: bow hunting is the safest way to hunt ...
[Thunder Bay] Deer cull the only way [?] November 21, 2011 Canada, The Chronicle Journal
...
Deer are gorgeous animals and getting close to them is a wonderful
experience.... many residents have come to think of deer almost as pets.
Feeding them has become common. ... When deer are kept in check there
are very few ticks and little or no Lyme disease. [not supported by research]
... An open house was held Oct. 20 and 40 people showed up. A clear
majority wanted deer feeding outlawed and, according to a report to
council, “strong support existed for a bow hunt using elevated stands.”
... a "large concentration of healthy deer" that lives in and around the Mount Doug/Blenkinsop Valley area is likely an attraction for would-be hunters.... "The crossbow appears to be the poacher's weapon of choice," said conservation officer Peter Pauwels. ... For police, the main issue is one of public safety.... "These are high-velocity weapons," said Jantzen. "You're not always going to hit what you're aiming for." ... police and conservation officers are asking for any help the public can provide
... the city will make its case for amending the discharge of the firearms bylaw to allow bow hunters to hunt deer ... If approved, the first city bow hunt would take place during the 2012 hunting season, and the city would conduct a public education campaign leading up to that, the report says.... In addition to the firearms bylaw amendment, city administration is also requesting a new bylaw that would prohibit the feeding of deer in the city.
Recently in Island press sources we have seen cases of deer that were wounded by arrows and either died on somebody's lawn or continue to suffer from the effects of an arrow somewhere in their body. There is no defence for this irresponsible practice by poachers masquerading as bow hunters.
Brandon Sun
“Deer populations in southwest Manitoba appear to be down this year,” said Dan Chranowski, a wildlife manager in Brandon. “The severe winter of 2010-11 may have caused a deer die-off in the spring of 2011 and coyote predation may be keeping deer populations from recovering.”
Deer-poaching season resumes in Prospect Lake area November 13, 2011 Canada, Vancouver Sun
Deerpoachers struck near Prospect Lake in Saanich Sunday morning, leaving a large buck badly injured with an arrow lodged in its front shoulder.... About 30 deer regularly roam through her five-acre property, which makes for an attractive hunting ground for poachers armed with crossbows ... Saanich police responded to her call Sunday, but when they arrived the spooked deer limped into the woods and could not be found.
... the CRD board voted in favour of the study [on urban deer management]. It is to be completed in three months, a request made by Oak Bay Mayor Christopher Causton.... CRD staff said the study provides more than just a deer census; it will outline how the public can be engaged and educated on the deer problem and options.... A local cull would likely be carried out similarly to that in Cranbrook, where deer are caught in netted-cage traps and killed with a bolt gun, similar to the system of killing cows in slaughterhouses.
... There are already too many animals killed by "conservation" officers in the name of safety of the human species.... The successful relocation of the UVic bunnies is a brilliant example of a coordinated action taken by environmental organizations,...Deer deserve a better treatment from humans after being chased away from their natural environment where they have lived peacefully for thousands of years.
... [a cull is] a time-consuming and controversial option requiring public consultation ...Contributing factors [to increased urban deer numbers] may include a drop in the number of natural predators, particularly cougars, changing social attitudes toward hunting, bylaws banning off-leash dogs and reduced winter kill due to milder weather, Dr. Arcese said.“Deer are quite adept at figuring out where they’re safe ... Murray Fyfe, medical health officer for the Vancouver Island Health Authority, said it’s “highly unlikely” that the deer population is putting humans at greater risk of contracting Lyme disease...
... No permit for white-tailed deer farming is available in New Brunswick, as it is in other provinces like Alberta and Ontario, though elk and red deer farms are permitted.... “This is due to concerns related to the possible spread of disease to wild deer and the possibility meat from wild deer could be marketed as farm-raised,” according to a statement from the ministry... Animals that are imported into the province without heath checks can bring in diseases foreign to the wild population as well as genetic contamination ...
... Geoff Young, Capital Regional District chairman. "Obviously, the reason the province doesn't want to do it is because it's a politically sensitive issue." ... Local property taxpayers would likely be on the hook for costs. ... Regional staff say the south Island deer population is likely growing, and deer are shifting toward urban areas for food and to evade predators...Of the 115,000 Columbian black-tailed deer in the province, 86,000 - 75 per cent - live on Vancouver Island.
... A report to be presented to the CRD’s planning, transportation and protective services committee tomorrow (Oct. 27) states that “no financial resources would be available” from the Ministry of Environment to support a deer management plan....The first stage would involve an education campaign and stricter bylaws around feeding animals. The second would be tranquilization and relocation of deer and the third would be a selective cull.
... we will never again match or exceed the 1985 deer harvest [in Cumberland] ... much of the woods where deer once sought refuge have now been cut flat, resulting in a very large and never to be replaced loss of habitat.... add the spread of coyotes ... plus our extra large populations of bear. All these must share the blame with old man winter... a study conducted in South Carolina from 2006-2008 ... of the 60 new born fawns ... 35 were killed by coyotes during ... [50 percent in a 1986-1989 New York study] ... in the 1600s ... in what is now Nova Scotia there were no deer. Yet ... deer were common in that province up until the 1400s.
...Thunder Bay residents spoke out Oct. 20 about the city's plans to control the area's deer population ... including a bow-hunt in city limits ... Cheryl Bak, who’s been living in a rural area of town for 50 years, said she doesn't want to see deer hunting allowed in Thunder Bay...The city is also recommending fines for people who intentionally feed deer.
Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup is launching an internal investigation into illegal white-tailed deer operations in the province after a northwestern New Brunswick man was killed when a buck attacked him in his backyard pen. ...a former Department of Natural Resources biologist criticized the provincial government for not taking action against such illegal operations....
Gerry Redmond said he advised former ministers about the problem in the 1980s and '90s, but there was no political will to shut them down.
With no veterinarian available on an August weekend to tend to a deer struck by a car, a Toronto police officer had to shoot the animal dead within earshot of concerned residents. Finding qualified people to respond to wildlife calls is a challenge ... Designed by the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, the model is unique: An extensive pool of volunteers will be trained to serve as first responders, dispatched to distress calls to assess injured or abandoned wildlife, report hazards and transport animals for treatment when needed.
... Ron Bourret, manager of Thunder Bay’s Licensing and Enforcement department, is interested in hearing what people think about the situation.... Bourret said another option is to allow a deer hunt in selected areas of the city. The public meeting takes place Oct.20, 6-9 p.m., at the Waverley Library. For more information about the meeting, phone 807-625-2644, or e-mail rbourret@thunderbay.ca.
Scientists ... analysed 34 years' worth of data from studies on Rum to determine how female deer behave... an average 43% of female deer in heat will drift away from their usual range. ...Of these, two-thirds will travel as far as two-and-a-half miles and almost half will mate with stags elsewhere....Researchers do not know why the females wander off....suggests females in heat do not favour large "harems", older stags or distantly related stags which pose less risk of inbreeding... females are not searching for their preferred mate. [Katie Stopher, of the University of Edinburgh, lead author]
... most of the 10 young deer released this week by B.C. SPCA's Wild Animal Rehabilitation Centre happily accepted their freedom...."Most of them bounded off into the bush. There was just one that wanted to come back," said Wild ARC branch manager Kari Marks. "We had to shoo him away and he kept looking forlornly at us - but he'll be wild again pretty soon," she said.... Wild ARC ... relies on donations and fundraisers ...
"With low deer populations on the larger landscape, cougars and wolves are adapting their behaviours to access prey in human use areas like shorelines and newly distributed edge habitat in and around communities." [said Bob Hansen a wildlife-human conflict management specialist at Parks Canada.]...In the event of a cougar encounter, Hansen asked residents to create space and scare them away...."Don't act like a deer, stand your ground. Be as loud as you can and act as large as you can," he said.
... Canadian researchers say the number of collisions could be reduced by putting more thought into where warning signs are placed. ... The team identified 28 hotspots within the city limits before placing warning signs in 14 of these locations ... The team used a standard-sized diamond-shaped sign, enhanced with a "1.6 km" tag below....The researchers found that 77 per cent of U.S. and Canadian transport agencies rarely, if ever, employ prevention strategies for new projects, and when warning signs were put up, they were often placed arbitrarily...
The team focused their study on the city of Edmonton in Alberta, which borders dense forestry.... "Our study showed that warning signs really do reduce deer-vehicle collisions, but we will require a follow up study to determine if drivers remain responsive to these signs in the long term." ... More information: The abstract of this paper is available free online:http://doi.wiley.c … .1002/wsb.12
... that can affect all cervids, including deer, elk and moose. To determine an accurate estimate of the prevalence of the disease, the ministry requires a minimum of 600 samples over a three-year period from each Wildlife Management Zone (WMZ). ... For more information about the check stations, please contact:
Canadian Co-operative Wildlife Health Centre
Toll free at 1-888-966-5815 or www.ccwhc.ca
Ministry of Environment offices at:
Hudson Bay: 306-865-4400
Preeceville: 306-547-5660
Swift Current: 306-778-8205 orwww.environment.gov.sk.ca/wildlifediseases
For more information, contact:
Brad Tokaruk
Environment
Regina
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