Of all things to see on this hot summer’s day but a Deer in the Woods. Actually, it was more than a deer, it was a deer her two young fawns in the woods. Since I took this photograph while driving by, I was only able to capture the mother deer and one fawn.
As it goes, we were on our way to get some coffee and a glass of iced green tea at a local bakery when we spotted the trio. To my eyes, the deer family looked like they wanted a drink of water from a small watering hole.
No matter how hot it gets, this small watering hole near a road always seems to have to water in it. There is, also, a cat tail reed or two growing in the water. By the photograph, it looks like this is a large wooded area. However, it is only a strip of land with some woods between two property developments.
Deer in the Woods Issues
No one wants the deer to be completely eliminated in our neighborhood but there are concerns about large deer populations in busy urban areas. A better choice is to control the deer herd population to a healthier size.
As it goes, the deer no longer have large predators in our county. With too many deer we have deer-vehicle collusions, the spread of diseases, loss of plant biodiversity, deer over browsing and private property damage.
Deer Management
In our county, there are strict rules regarding deer management with the use of sharpshooters, managed hunts, and archery hunters.
Sharpshooter are trained sharpshooters with high powered rifles and special permits. They eventually donate the venison to feed the homeless shelters.
For the archery program, hunters are assigned to a site during deer archery program season. On the website, they are allowed to hunt 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.
Interestingly, there are also studies about using deer birth control but that is still in the works.
Of course, there are other rules and regulations regarding each type of deer management on the country’s website.
Conclusion to Deer in the Woods
Although we all love nature, too many deer cause too many issues.
To keep our expensive landscaping plants safe from deer browsing, do not feed the deer, plant deer resistant plants or even, where allowed, and install deer exclusion fencing.
I remember once having a lush row of variegated hosta plants out front. However, during the night, a deer came by and ate off the flowers and tops of the plants. That sight was a little saddening. However, it is a known fact that deer love to eat hosta plants.
In the end, for nature and urban to mesh together, we need to manage our wildlife.
Resource Site: www.fairfaxcounty.gov/wildlife