The National Park Service in Washington, D.C. is busy counting deer in Rock Creek Park. The November 2009 census showed 67 whitetails per square mile. Fort Washington National Park counted 200 deer per square mile. And at Gettysburg, they are shooting the deer, not reenacting battles. (Ahem, Rochester Hills).
Deer eat everything under four feet tall. They'd eat taller stuff, but they can't reach it. Shrubs and seedlings are rapidly disappearing in Rock Creek, with shrub cover down by 40%. This results in less habitat for smaller mammals and birds. Tree regeneration is being affected. But for the deer, it is a bonanza, and thanks to the food, they are now having twins, making the population increase even faster.
Rock Creek has a deer management plan to reduce the population to 15 to 20 deer per square mile using sharpshooters and euthanasia. Not everyone in the area is happy about the plan, but it was one local resident who said at a meeting, "Bambi, has to go".
So, I agree with the woman. And while we are at, let's get rid of Mother Goose too. Plant damage aside, I personally am tired of cleaning deer scat and goose droppings out of my yard. Yuck!
P.S. For those who say the deer were here first, I've lived in my home since 1972 and have only seen deer in the last ten years. I wonder if Mr. Big will be back this fall?
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