Urban deer in a Powell River yard
– A. Bryant

Expanding deer populations in an urban setting bring with them a host of problems
– R. Page

Biologists consider local cartoonist Adrian Raeside to be a national treasure – he certainly had lots to say about urban deer!
– A. Raeside (Victoria Times-Colonist)

The biology of black-tailed deer in BC has been studied for many years, notably under the IWIFR (Integrated Wildlife Intensive Forestry Research) program
– source: IWIFR

Some deer are seasonal migrants, but many individuals will spend their lives within a few km²
– source: IWIFR

This is especially true if they find stable, predictable food sources
– source unknown

Too often, this is all too true…
– A. Raeside (Victoria Times-Colonist)

Some deterrents, like fences, work pretty well if they’re tall enough…
…coiled garden hoses in your backyard don’t work at all!
– R. Page

And some plants advertised as “deer-proof” are “not”, as this night shot shows
– R. Page

Signs are another option…
– R. Page

Of all deer management methods, contraception via vaccine offers considerable promise
– Saanich News

In one study, researchers found that contraception using a single dose of “spay-vac” (vaccine) method was 100% effective over three years. This potentially offers a promising and cost-effective tool for addressing the urban deer problem.
– Fraker et al. (2002).

As they say…
…research continues…
– R. Page

Rick Page – “Urban deer: they’re here to stay”
by Andrew Bryant, 20 October 2016.

Having previously worked on geese in Ontario, caribou in Spatzisi, and the moose and wolves of Isle Royale, Dr. Rick Page recently visited to share his considerable knowledge and experience of “urban deer“.

Deer are are beautiful and impressive creatures, but bring problems to the urban landscape.  Without natural predators such as cougars and wolves, deer populations can grow quickly.   The average lifespan of a “wild” deer is about 4 years, but without predation it can rise to >10 years.   Because females typically breed every year, the result is predictable: a lot more deer.

Deer overpopulation increases traffic accidents, damage to crops and gardens, aggression to pets and humans, and the potential for transmission of things like Lyme disease (via deer ticks).  It also leads to unhealthy deer populations.

As with any ecological problem, there’s no quick “one-size fits-all” solution to the urban deer issue. In BC, jurisdictions such as Oak Bay or Cranbrook have employed a variety of “conflict reduction” or “population reduction” methods, including fences, chemical repellents, roadside signage, lethal culls, translocation, or surgical or chemical sterilization practices.  These can be both costly – and controversial.

Urban deer are here to stay.  Fences, careful choice of garden plantings, and landscape-level planning can help, but they’re not going to make the problem go away.

Any successful deer management program requires stable, long-term funding and scientific evaluation – but to date, as Rick underscored with wit and humor, we’ve not been particularly good at providing much of either.