Sterilization as an alternative deer control technique: a review

JASON R. BOULANGER, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Natural Resources, B20 Bruckner Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA [email protected] PAUL D. CURTIS, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Natural Resources, B13 Bruckner Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA EVAN G. COOCH, Cornell University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Natural Resources, B10 Bruckner Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA ANTHONY J. DENICOLA, White Buffalo Inc., 26 Davison Road, Moodus, CT 06469, USA Abstract: Burgeoning white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in suburban landscapes continue to impact communities and challenge natural resource managers. Increased deer-related damage to vegetation, ecosystems, and automobiles can exceed the tolerance of local stakeholders. We provide an overview of the potential effi cacy of using surgical sterilization to help manage populations and confl icts associated with locally overabundant white-tailed deer populations. We review theoretical and fi eld studies pertaining to deer sterilization, and provide research priorities to help guide future sterilization efforts. Recent fi eld studies suggest that sterilization of female deer remains expensive, at approximately $1,000 per surgery. Sterilization may provide an alternative management technique for reducing suburban deer herds in communities willing to endure the costs of a long-term effort and where lethal deer removal is unacceptable or impractical. Surgical sterilization is scale-limited based on the ability to capture and sterilize 80% or more of the female deer in a population and maintain that proportion of the population treated over time. Overall success will be greatest for closed or insular deer herds where the effects of immigration can be minimized.