High Costs of Deer Lead Towns to Consider Culls

A recent study shows Bambi costs Fairfield County big bucks.

The annual costs of deer overpopulation are as high as $17 million per town and $1,520 per household, according to a May 2010 New York Medical College report conducted for the Fairfield County Municipal Deer Alliance. The survey examined several areas including motor vehicle accidents, tick control and tick-borne diseases.

In lower Fairfield County the costs ranged from about $6 million to $16 million among area towns. Many residents are concerned about the deer population, not only because of the costs but also because of the diseases they carry. Fairfield County has the highest number of new Lyme disease cases in the state, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While some towns host controlled hunts, others don't have any management in place because of local ordinances that prohibit hunting within town limits.

Reducing the deer population will help curb Lyme disease, deer-on- vehicular accidents, and protect the biodiversity of area habitats, said David Streit, president of the deer alliance.

"It's a human safety and environmental issue," Streit said. "We really need the numbers to go down. It's such a critical health issue."

When people spray their lawns to rid them of deer ticks they are laying down highly toxic products that kill everything and permeate water tables, Streit said.

And as summer wanes, area towns are finalizing their controlled hunt plans in hopes of easing the impact. Controlled hunts, or private hunts don't cost towns but they are important tools in keeping the eco-system in check, said Pat Sesto, Wilton's Director of Environmental Affairs.

The average deer density is 60 deer per square mile in Fairfield County, according to the most recent Department of Environmental Protection aerial survey. Because most does bear two offspring per season for 12 years, deer populations may double every two years.

A Town-by-Town Breakdown of Deer Costs

In Westport, deer cost residents $8,934,162:

• $7,039,633 for environment and landscaping; 
• $262,300 for motor vehicle accidents; 
• $1,184,814 for tick control; and 
• $447,415 for tick-related diseases.

Deer cost Darien $6,444,604:

• $4,995,687 for costs associated with the environment and landscaping;
• $288,530 for motor vehicle accidents;
• $840,805 for tick control; and 
• $319,582 on tick-related diseases.

Fairfield residents spent $16,996,924:

• $13,369,272 for environment and landscape;
• $131,150 for motor vehicle accidents;
• $2,250,132 for tick control; and 
• $1,246,371 for tick borne diseases.

Monroe residents spent $6,431,563:

• $4,612,146 was for environmental and landscaping costs; 
• $52,460 for motor vehicle accidents; 
• $776,253 for tick control; and 
• $990,705 for tick-related diseases.

Deer cost New Canaan residents $6,182,538:

• $4,292,930 was for environmental and landscaping; 
• $655,750 for motor vehicle accidents; 
• $722,527 for tick control; and 
• $511,332 for tick-related diseases.

The Ridgefield residents paid $8,907,818:

• $5,856,846 for environmental and landscaping costs; 
• $786,900 for motor vehicle accidents; 
• $985,744 for tick control, and 
• $1,278,329 for tick-related diseases.

Lastly, deer cost Wiltonians $6,355,719:

• $4,344,390 for environment and landscaping; 
• $577,060 for motor vehicle accidents, 
• $731,188 for tick control; and 
• $703,081 for tick-related diseases.

"It's money coming right out of our pockets," Streit said. "It's money we could spend on schools, repaving roads; on anything other than constantly combating the affects of high deer numbers."

Plans for Deer Management

In Westport, citizens petitioned the town to hold several hearings on the issue. There the situation is complicated because the town's hunting prohibition pre-dates state hunting laws.

"It came to us from a petition," said Diane Cady, chair of the Westport Representative Town Meeting's environment committee. "Citizens are asking us to do something but it's not our burning desire one way or another. The question is, can we do anything about it? And should we do anything about it?"

This year, Wilton plans to link private landowners with hunters rather than sponsor a controlled hunt. The town's deer committee will help match landowners and hunters. Landowners should interview hunters before granting access.  Both parties must know Connecticut's hunting regulations, including seasons and legal times for hunting.

Hunters hunting on private land in Wilton must agree to the same time commitment as hunting town-owned land. Only that will effectively reduce the deer population from the current 29 per square mile to the recommended 10 per square mile, said Sesto.

There isn't minimum acreage for bow hunting, but there is a 10-acre minimum for rifle. People should walk their property with potential hunters; not every property is suitable for hunting.

Ridgefield has run a successful controlled hunt. It reported the highest deer kill in Connecticut in 2009 at 416, with the controlled hunt accounting for 121 of total deer deaths.  The town's deer committee wants to include two additional properties this fall — the Ridgefield Golf Course and Sturges Park.

The New York Medical College study is important because it shows how much residents spend to keep deer populations in check. These dollar amounts will be useful if towns decide recreational hunters are no longer as effective.

"The question that comes up is can recreational hunters get us to where we need to be?" Sesto said. "If it starts to take three days to get a deer when it used to take a half a day is that worth it?"

At that point, towns with too many deer might consider professional culls, Sesto said. To perform the cull sharp shooters work closely with local law enforcement. They use suppressed firearms and shoot only over bait in selected areas.

Because Fairfield County has the highest number of new Lyme disease cases in the state, according to the CDC, towns in the area want to control deer herds. Too many deer equal too many deer ticks, which breed almost exclusively on white-tailed deer. Deer ticks cause Lyme disease.

Towns with less than 10 deer per square mile have seen dramatic decreases in Lyme disease.

 "This study demonstrates the broader need for a comprehensive effort, managed by the Department of Environmental Protection, to bring deer numbers down to levels that are healthy for our woodlands and for people," according to Stephen R. Patton, Director of Landscape Programs at the Nature Conservancy.