MYTH

FACT

v      There is a serious deer overpopulation problem in Ridgefield. The Fairfield County Municipal Deer Management Alliance claims there are 60-100 deer per square mile in Fairfield County, without producing scientific evidence to support their claims.

v      No deer count has ever been done for Ridgefield. A 2005 town-wide flyover by the DEP in Greenwich showed 46 deer/square mile. This number was lower than the 60 deer per square mile shown in the 2001 flyover.

v      Hunting controls or reduces the deer population.

v      Hunting frees up more food and habitat for the remaining herd. Reproduction accelerates, leading to larger numbers over the long term. Wildlife biologists call this reproductive rebound.

v      Hunters in Connecticut have a great safety record. The DEP claims that their primary concern is always safety.

v      From 1990 through 2000 there have been

7 hunting fatalities and 48 non-fatal accidents in Connecticut.

v      If the DEP’s primary concern is public safety, it would not be advocating hunting on private property in suburban neighborhoods, where the risk of hunting accidents is highest.

v      Hunting is an effective solution to protecting people from Lyme disease and deer/vehicle accidents.

v      Hunting is NOT effective in protecting people from Lyme disease. White-footed mice are the single greatest carrier of infectious ticks. Lyme disease bacteria are maintained in the blood/tissue of white-footed mice. Scientists conducted a Connecticut study which confirmed the key role of mice in transmitting Lyme disease. Deer Do Not Carry or Transmit Lyme Disease Bacteria.

v      Hunting does NOT reduce deer/vehicle accidents. A four-year tabulation of accidents in Millburn, NJ showed that the number of accidents remained the same even though intensive hunting was done throughout those years. (2000-2004).

v      There are NO other management strategies available to solve deer “problems.”

v      There are MANY tools much more effective than hunting to cope with these situations:

o        The Maxforce Tick Management System which eliminates nearly 80% of the ticks from mice who carry Lyme disease

o        The 4-Poster Deer Treatment Bait Station which reduces 92% to 98% of ticks from deer

o        The Strieter-Lite warning reflector system which reduces nighttime deer/vehicle collisions by 78%–90%

o        Public education on Lyme disease prevention and safer driving in deer country.

v      Contraception for deer cannot be used by towns because of no FDA approval of the vaccine.

v      Contraception can be used in Connecticut in research studies with the permission of the DEP. It would be available for broader use except that the hunting lobby has consistently obstructed FDA approval.