Public Tolerance of a Suburban Deer Herd: Implications for Control

Suburban deer populations have been increasing in the eastern U.S., resulting in deer-human conflicts that can not always be resolved by a traditional management approach., Professionals responsible for management of deer damage (herd control and extension education) need information on the extent and nature of deer damage in suburban situations. Attitudes of suburban residential property owners about wildlife in general and deer in particular must be identified so that control measures that are socially acceptable as well as biologically feasible can be formulated o People's tolerance of deer damage and their propensity for undertaking on-site preventive measures need to be analyzedo Residents of Islip (Long Island), New York who live in the vicinity of the Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge were surveyed in spring 1985 to determine their experiences with Refuge deer. Damage to ornamental plants totalled $28,000 for the preceding year, but people generally enjoyed having deer in their neighborhood, and tolerated considerable damage. They were more concerned with the potential for transmission of Lyrae disease by deer. Residents were generally in agreement with the concept of managing wildlife as a renewable resource, but they generally opposed sport or meat hunting, which might present a potential barrier to herd control. Most residents did not want a herd reduction, but this situation could change if the deer population were to *Research Associate/Wildlife Extension Specialist and Assistant Professor, respectively, Department of Natural Resources, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. increase substantially or if deer are found to be a key link in transmission of Lyme disease to humans. Implications of these findings are discussed relative to deer herd control and extension education, which might serve as complementary components of a program directed at alleviating deer damageo INTRODUCTION The growth and geographic expansion of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in suburban areas in the eastern U.S. is a relatively recent phenomenon, but one that is becoming common (Flyger et al. 1983). The coexistence of suburban deer with humans results in potential economic losses due to deer damage to ornamental plants and vegetable gardens. The existence of urban "greenbelts" (e.g., bird sanctuaries, county parks, wooded stream corridors) accentuate the problem by allowing deer to "penetrate" surburbia more easily. These areas provide refuge where deer may spend most of their time, but from which they can move easily to nearby residential properties to obtain additional food. This situation presents a difficult management problem for state agencies that have responsibility for managing wildlife. The conventional solution (i.e., recreational hunting) for reducing a deer population to an optimum level in rural settings is typically unworkable in suburban settings. Hunting often represents a safety hazard, but even in locations where such a control can be used safely, hunting is not acceptable generally to suburban residents (Flyger et al. 1983). Furthermore, extension education of affected publics about methods for alleviating damage can not assume that proven communication strategies developed in