Deer by Cisco Sonar (AKA Bryce Nielson)

It all started when I bought a lot in Bridgerland to build a house on in the 1970’s.  A bunch of my Natural Resources college friends lamented that I was destroying deer winter habitat.  After moving in there were a few deer around but their numbers increased as my neighbors started feeding them in the winter.

 As the years passed, the number of deer slowly increased until it was impossible to grow a tulip without having it eaten.  I enjoy raising a garden, but it was soon apparent that I needed to fence it to keep the deer out.  After several attempts, I finally got a fence built with heavy posts and 6’ wire mesh net.  It worked well until later in the summer when I forgot to close the gate.  Next day the plants were chewed down to the ground.

More cabins with landscaping were built in Bridgerland and the population of deer increased accordingly. Everyone loved seeing them and felt bad when they were smacked on the highway.  When we had a bad winter, homeowners bought tons of deer pellets to feed them.  The area was overrun with deer trying to survive and many never left.

As a biologist, I am changing my mind about loss of winter range due to recreational development.  I observed places like Sweetwater Hill and places along the lake in Garden City experiencing significant increases in wildlife as the vegetation around homes increased.  Lots of mouthwatering plants available to eat and habitat cover under decks and trees.  The sagebrush and bitterbrush in the surrounding areas now didn’t look that tasty.  Recreational developments with lots of non-native plants and water make perfect habitat all wildlife.  Moose, birds, small mammals and countless other animals now benefit from it.   

This past year in has become apparent that the deer I see around my place are residents.  They were born and raised here with plenty of food and just had to get used to people, which they did readily.  I like to see, hunt, and eat deer but this population never leaves the protection of the development.  As the hunters slog the hills, deer are few and far between since they are all in the subdivisions.  This year they have ravished my raspberry patch, destroyed newly planted trees and bushes by scraping them with their horns and hopped up on the back deck to feed on potted flowers.  There was nothing they didn’t try to eat even though there was plenty of natural food around.  Flowers they didn’t like, such as marigolds, they just pulled out.  I think they were too lazy to leave the feast.heavy posts and 6’ wire mesh net.  It worked well until later in the summer when I forgot to close the gate.  Next day the plants were chewed down to the ground.

 I see no real solution for this problem other than intensive fencing.  It is so frustrating.  I enjoy seeing a nice buck and does in my backyard, but then I remember what they have done all year.  I guess it is time to buy “t” posts and wire and continue to adapt to their presence.