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Deer Management Comments

February, 4, 2014 7:27 AM
As far as I’m concerned, your police sharpshooters are welcome in Chestnut Hills Neighborhood Park, adjacent to my property.
While I haven’t seen any deer lately, sometimes a herd stays overnight, some members bedding down in my backyard and others in the park woods.
As I am sometimes briefly in my backyard or let my cat out after dark, I would like a heads up before any deer herd reduction in Chestnut Hills Neighborhood Park.
I grew up in Maine where, not infrequently, humans are shot by deer hunters.

In the past week or two, driving into the Beltsville Community Center, I had a close call with a deer crossing the road.
Go get em.
 
January, 31, 2014 3:37 PM
There are routinely 9-12 deer in Rock Creek Park directly behind the Ashleigh Woods Town Home complex each morning/evening. Will your deer management program be in effect sometime soon in this area to hopefully decrease the size of this herd?
 
January, 28, 2014 1:49 PM
Greetings,
I just read your deer management article announcing sharpshooting programs in PG County parks. I am supportive of these methods to help manage the deer population but would also ask that you consider leveraging Maryland's licensed hunters.

Several places in Maryland offer management hunts to a limited number of hunters, all of who must provide proof of Hunter Safety education as well as proficiency with hunting weapons such as archery gear or firearms. Speaking for myself, I would love a chance to extend my hunting season and help resolve the overpopulation problems at the same time.

Specifically, I ask that you consider the following method of incorporating hunters into your plans:

1. Limit hunter participation to those who use archery gear (including vertical bow and crossbow)...intent is to provide safety assurance to nearby residents who probably don't want non-law enforcement personnel using firearms near their homes

2. Require archery hunters to use tree stands from a height of at least 10 feet off the ground. This also increases safety because it forces hunters to shoot arrows on a downward angle and turns the ground into a natural backstop. I know of at least two areas that hold annual management hunts that use this requirement and it's very effective at limiting the distance that arrows will fly to about 50 yards or so (even shots that miss the deer).

3. Require hunters to cover harvested deer when removing them so that they are not visible to non-hunters. This is a concession to those who may not support hunting or removal of game animals and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center near Edgewater uses this policy for their management deer hunts.