This past year, DEM and the town council of Jamestown RI indicated that Jamestown had a deer population problem. DEM utilized an infra red survey to determine the deer population at 40-50 deer per square mile. The area was to be opened for a controlled bow hunt. And I mean controlled... no more than 10 hunters in the park per day, no weekends, need to sign up a week in advance, be registered, proficiency card, cover your deer with burlap when transporting, no gut piles near trails or mowed areas (I kid you not, this was in the rules), etc. The antis went nuts and rallied. They found a loophole that stated the park could only be used for "passive recreation", of which bowhunting apparently is not, so the hunt was suspended while the legality is being investigated. Also, they hired someone (I'm really holding back here on what to call this guy) who is doing a more "scientific and comprehensive" study than DEM's which will yield a more accurate count of deer on the island. From what I can see, the guy drives around at night with a spotlight, counts deer, and zaps them with a laser to record some information (dont know what you can get other than range or perhaps how fast they are high tailing it away from you when you scare the &*#% out of them). But thats not all... Apparently they plug this data into a "mathematical equation" which helps to determine the more accurate, real population (as opposed to the non-scientific infra red survey, which could show 'rocks that retain heat" or "labradors"... Of course, all this is buying time to investigate other non-lethal means of curtailing the population, such as imuno-contraception... I guess they plan to hunt the poor animals down, scare the bejeebers out of them, and shoot them with some $750 injection that will prevent them from having offspring. I guess harassment and sterilization is more humane than putting meat on the table. Who knows, maybe a few hundred thousand dollars and 10-15 years may reduce the population enough so that taking a few deer by bow won't be necessary.... Sorry for the long post, but its about to get longer. Here is the story (actually two that have appeared this past week.) Please, I would love to write an editorial to this paper, but I'm really just blowing off steam here. I want to present facts and not come off as bashing the antis (as much as I'd like to, this stuff is just rediculous.) I know that the members of "Paws and Claws" are hard core antis, and will not listen to anything I or anyone else has to say (I know this from stuff they have written, bashing hunters), but perhaps the rest of the local population will listen to reason. If anybody has any good amunition to use or have good points to rebut what is written in this story, please, let me know. I know im probably setting myself up for a battle, but I'm pretty tired of the anti's being the only voices heard locally. Again, sorry for the long post, and here's the story:

Study of deer population bringing wildlife to light

By Kate I. Howard/Daily News staff

JAMESTOWN - With what seemed like the brightness of a million candles, Frank Verret's spotlight caught four little red dots through tall grass and mist.

"See those red eyes, about 18 yards away?" Verret said. "Two nice, healthy females over there."

From his pickup truck, Verret raised his measuring device and pointed his laser at the does. He read off the data to his technician, Sheldon Brooks. They rolled on at about eight miles per hour to the next gathering spot during their south end data collecting Friday night on Short Point Farm.

Verret is conducting a study through Holterra Wildlife Management, a consulting firm based in Nashville, Tenn. He began the study Tuesday and expects to finish this weekend, using his instruments, his eyes and basic math to determine the town's deer population through a method called distance sampling. The most important aspect of the method to Verret is the information he gains about the herd's composition.

"You can't tell if a deer is male or female on an infrared screen," Verret said.

The Humane Society of Jamestown commissioned the $4,500 study to determine whether Jamestown has an overpopulation of deer and find out whether it can be managed humanely. Their main goal is to get more complete statistics about males and females and hear whether immunocontraception is an option.

The estimated deer population in Jamestown is 40 to 50 deer per square mile, according to data gathered through an infrared sampling at Beavertail by the Department of Environmental Management. Factors including Lyme disease, habitat degradation and automobile strikes have been cited by DEM as reasons to control the population.

Verret said that while infrared technology used in DEM's study is improving, he believes that physically observing the deer is the most accurate.

"You don't have to guess whether it's a rock that's holding heat or a big Labrador, because it's real observation," Verret said.

This week, Verret and Brooks drove along properties on the north and south ends of Jamestown for four to five hours after dusk with their spotlights constantly scanning their surroundings. When either of them spots a deer, they stop the truck and point their measuring device's laser. If the deer flees, Verret tests against the spot where the deer had been standing. This data will be compiled with samples from around the island and plugged into mathematical equations to determine how many deer live per square mile.

"Holterra's system is a very scientific, comprehensive program," said Linda DiMauro, president of the humane society. "We need to take it a step further than DEM's numbers ... We want to have all the facts before they go and open places to hunt."

A deer hunt originally was scheduled for Beavertail, a park managed by DEM, from Nov. 8-Jan. 31. New information about the legality of hunting in the park was raised by a member of the Beavertail Advisory Committee, which obtained a copy of the federal government's deed with DEM. Only passive recreational activities were listed as allowable when the property changed hands, and the federal Department of the Interior is reviewing the matter. The Town Council has put approval of the hunt on hold until the legal matter is settled.

After the Holterra study is completed, gender and group size data will be used to determine if the population will lend itself to immunocontraception as a management tool.

The method is not cheap; Verret said administering contraception could cost between $500 and $750 per doe. But, the shots last about five years, Verret said.

"You could cull the animals (through hunting), but you'll have to do it biannually for a very long time if you don't take enough every season," Verret said. "When you factor in all the fawns that would've been born without contraception and other factors in the long run, the price gets lower and lower."

Humane society member David S. Martin said their focus is to control the population without killing if management proves to be necessary.

"We want to use solely nonlethal methods in Jamestown, and the only practical resource we know is immunocontraception," Martin said.

Dr. Allen Rutberg of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine spoke to residents in October about the importance of determining that a problem exists through an independent study. He suggested Holterra Wildlife Management.

Rutberg has been involved in immunocontraception studies, but said that he would not choose to conduct such a study on Jamestown because of its size.

Only two immunocontraception studies have shown a clear population decrease, Rutberg said, and they were both on areas of about one square mile.

Verret, who has worked in wildlife management for 14 years, said he won't make any assessment of the feasibility of immunocontraception or population density until he finalizes his report next week.

"When people see large amounts of deer at a time, they start thinking they have a problem," Verret said. "Sometimes it does indicate a problem, and other times it just means they've found a food source and might disperse over hundreds of acres."

Two projects Verret is beginning in South Carolina are at sited similar in size to Jamestown, he said.

"I have seen (immunocontraception) done on an area this big," Verret said. "It is possible."


And a second story:

Deer count begins in Jamestown

By Kate Howard/Daily News staff

JAMESTOWN - A study commissioned by the Humane Society of Jamestown began Tuesday night to assess how many deer are on the island.

Holterra Wildlife Management, a consultant firm based in Nashville, Tenn., will be conducting the study over the next week to determine the size and composition of the herd.

"They will be using a distance sampling method, a different method than the (state Department of Environmental Management) used," said Linda DiMauro, president of the Humane Society of Jamestown. "If we find out there's a particular area where any part of the population is excessive, information about herd composition is vital to deciding whether immunocontraception is an option."

Immunocontraception is a relatively new method of deer management that involves shooting female deer with darts containing contraceptives. It has been tested in a few communities, but not in an area the size of Jamestown.

A deer hunt originally was scheduled to begin Nov. 8 on Beavertail to control the population, but new information about its legality came into question when a Beavertail Advisory Committee member read the deed for the property and discovered a loophole. Only passive, recreational activities were in the list of allowable activities for the park when it was released to DEM by the federal government, according to the park's deed. The federal Department of the Interior is reviewing the issue, and the Town Council put its approval of the hunt on hold.

A group of residents gathered along with the Humane Society to discuss alternatives in past months, and the society will pay for the $4,500 study. Frank Verret of Holterra and a wildlife technician will be completing the study.

According to an infrared detection study of Beavertail commissioned by DEM, Jamestown is home to approximately 50 deer per square mile. The Humane Society contests the DEM's findings, and DiMauro said the group will gather its own data and take it from there.

"We want to take a proactive approach," DiMauro said. "If there really are as many deer as everyone thinks, we want to discuss educational programs and ways to live with them, as well as the possibility for immunocontraception."