Copied this story from the Courier Post. Seems they want to make NJ a canned hunt [&:].

Fencing will control deer

Sunday, August 29, 2004

New Jersey's exploding deer population is threatening to eat farmers out of business. Controlled hunts are not reducing, at least not fast enough, the deer herds that feast on crops. But maybe the fencing the state is making available just might help deer and farmers better share New Jersey's dwindling open spaces. Good fences can make good neighbors.

The fencing already has dramatically reduced crop destruction by deer in places where farmers have put it up. Still, the cost can be a barrier for some farmers. That's why the $300,000 from the state Department of Agriculture and the Division of Fish and Wildlife is so important in keeping New Jersey the Garden State.

Farmers will get up to 5,000 feet of fence, roughly enough to enclose a 30-acre parcel. The state will also pay 30 percent of the cost of fence poles.

State officials pulled this money from other programs. But lawmakers ought to consider dedicating future funds for fencing. With food sources reduced, the deer population could naturally shrink to fit within the constraints of New Jersey's environment.

As it stands, there are simply too many deer for this crowded, overdeveloped state. There are approximately 170,000 deer in New Jersey. That's about 23 deer per square mile of land. Of course, the deer aren't spread evenly around the state. They're squeezed into forests and undeveloped buffers adjacent to farms.

Relative to hunting, fencing is a safe way to manage the deer herd, especially in developed areas such as Cherry Hill. We hope more fencing is offered to farmers.