Deer Management

Initiation of Deer Cull Program

In the early 1990's, members of the Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) noted that regeneration of Wissahickon Valley Park's forest was being severely impacted. They suspected this might be caused by the rapidly increasing deer herd. At first, Fairmount Park was not ready to take the initiative when this issue was brought to their attention. They did, however, give the Friends permission to study the issue.

In 1996, FOW retained Brian Shissler of Natural Resource Consultants (NRC) to prepare an in-depth study of the deer impact on the forest, evaluate alternatives, and recommend action. NRC found that the Wissahickon deer population was 10 times optimum density of 10 to 15 deer per square mile and destructive browse (eating of vegetation) was found throughout the Park. Shrub and wildflower plants in addition to saplings had disappeared due to the browsing. When deer numbers exceed 22 per square mile, wild animal species, particularly birds, are observed to decline. 

After evaluating a range of alternatives to reduce or manage the herd, NRC strongly recommended the hiring of sharpshooters to carry out a cull of the herd.

In 1998, FOW initiated an educational campaign with brochures and public meetings in which Shissler--and other professionals familiar with the issue--spoke. The FOW adopted the NRC recommendations in April, 1998 and requested that Fairmount Park apply for a permit from the Pennsylvania Game Commission to carry out a cull using sharpshooters.

Support was solicited from other friends groups, environmental organizations, and garden clubs. Fairmount Park held two public meetings on the proposed program. FOW and representatives of almost all key organizations in the region concerned with the overabundance of deer testified. They focused on the damage to the environment and the future health of the forest as the primary reasons for reducing the deer herd, with car accidents, Lyme disease and destruction of gardens as other considerations. Fairmount Park, despite significant opposition from animal rights groups, decided to carry out the cull.

Implementation of the Cull

Once Fairmount Park approved the deer cull, they took it over; Fairmount Park has remained dedicated and focused on carrying out the culls. FOW continues to be the main support group. Save Our Forests and convenes meetings that include Fairmount Park staff and representatives from other institutions with deer problems.

Fairmount Park also teamed up with archers to get access to private properties on the edge of the Wissahickon for bow hunting of deer. Archers are not allowed in Wissahickon Valley Park.

In the fall of 2000, Fairmount Park convinced the State Legislature to pass a bill that required the Pennsylvania Game Commission to issue a sharpshooter permit to the City of Philadelphia within 30 days of application. In addition, interference with the cull was declared a felony.

Fairmount Park then retained a sharpshooting team from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and carried out successful culls in the winters of 2001 through 2006. The cull was extended to the Pennypack Park-- another wooded section of Fairmount Park where deer were an even greater problem. Deer that are killed are removed immediately and taken to a butcher. Meat is distributed to Philabundance, a city-wide program that provides food to poor families.

Monitoring the Success of the Culls

The culls seem to be having a positive impact on the environment of the Parks. Anecdotal information from the Wissahickon indicates that some wildflowers and young saplings are showing up in areas where they had not been seen for years. It was recognized by both Friends groups that systematic measurement of the ongoing impact of deer was needed to demonstrate recovery of the vegetation.

In the summer of 2002, the Friends groups agreed to jointly sponsor a five-year vegetation-monitoring program. This program was designed and implemented by Ann Rhoads, a highly experienced plant biologist from the Morris Arboretum. At six sites in each Park, vegetation growth within a protected enclosure will be compared annually to a similar plot outside the enclosure. It is hoped that, in the future, it may be possible to determine the need for full-scale culls on the basis of the results of the monitoring.

Response to Arguments Against the Cull

The most consistent argument against the culls has been that immuno-contraception techniques should be used to control the deer population. As documented in the 1996 NRC report and numerous subsequent studies, such a program does not yet exist outside of a few inconclusive experimental studies. The techniques are not available now because of serious problems with the delivery of the contraceptives, concerns about their effect on venison, the impracticality of such a program in areas like the Wissahickon, which borders hundreds of acres of private land where deer roam freely, and the illegality of these techniques in Pennsylvania.

Friends of the Wissahickon well understands the controversial nature of deer culls and responds as rationally as possible to the emotional arguments and often-inflammatory public accusations. The health of the forest has always been the basis for the cull. FOW and Fairmount Park recognize that this is a serious regional, as well as national problem. The work undertaken in Philadelphia parks has been groundbreaking and necessary for the stewardship of urban parks.