Although an enjoyable sight for onlookers, deer cause significant damage to farmer Paul Davidson's hay crop. 

 

 

Davidson says farmers are willing to use their land as wildlife habitat, but the deer population is too high.

HUNTING WITH PERMISSION
Landowners are sometimes reluctant to open their property to hunters due to concerns about liability, safety, property damage and trespassing. To address these concerns, the Ohio Division of Wildlife works with those who agree to allow hunting. Through the Hunting With Permission program, the division requires hunters to abide by permits signed by the landowner. Signs are provided to landowners to mark hunting locations, no parking areas and safety zones. Landowners participating in the program are exempt from liability to hunters. They can also limit the number of hunters, restrict the type of firearm used and restrict the species that is hunted.

For landowners considering allowing hunters on their property, Ohio Farm Bureau Director of Legislative Relations Chris Henney offers these tips:
•    Discuss wildlife management goals with the hunter(s).
•    Physically show hunters where they can and can’t hunt on the property.
•    Warn hunters of any hidden dangers such as old wells or other potential dangers.
•    Request a description and license plate numbers of the vehicle(s) that will be parked on your property.
•    Trade phone numbers and/or e-mail addresses so that you can stay in touch.


For more information on Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry visit fhfh.org or call
866-GET-FHFH

Deer eat everything from crops to landscaping and many are fed up

Story by Seth Teter | Photos by Dave Liggett
 

Paul Davidson is earning an unwanted reputation on his small Newark hay farm.

 

“A lot of people just tease me and call me the deer farmer,” he said.

 

It’s not unusual for him to come home to find 20 to 30 deer hungry for the crop on his 45 acres along the Licking River. The most he has counted is 60. Pictures of his farm have shown up in the local paper. Cars frequently stop alongside the road to take in the spectacle. The result is a loss of nearly a quarter of his hay costing him as much as $200 per acre, according to Davidson.

 

“People around us, even in the subdivisions, are complaining because there are no shrubs left,” he said.

 

Just 40 years ago there were 17,000 deer in Ohio; recently that number has reached 700,000. In addition to damage to crops and landscaping, deer are causing more than 25,000 traffic accidents in Ohio each year.

 

“Who doesn’t like to look out their window and see a few deer, but it’s getting to the point where there’s just too many of them, and it’s costing farmers and homeowners a lot of money,” said Chris Henney, Ohio Farm Bureau director of legislative relations.

 

Acting on a policy set by its members, Ohio Farm Bureau is pushing the Ohio Division of Wildlife, which is responsible for managing the deer population, to reduce the herd size to 250,000.

 

“There are a number of ways to get there including more liberal hunting regulations and damage permits that allow farmers to harvest deer when damage is being done to their crops,” Henney said. “Most does have twins every year, so even with reductions we currently have through hunting, it’s not enough.”

 

So far, hunting hasn’t provided an answer for Davidson. Parkland surrounds much of his property, and because his farm lies within the city limits, hunting is limited to bow and arrow.

 

But even when hunting can be fully utilized, Ohio Farm Bureau members have reported damages reaching tens of thousands of dollars and losing as much as 50 percent of a crop to hungry deer, according to Henney. In the worst cases, some farmers have talked about giving up on certain crops, be it corn, alfalfa or pine trees, because the deer eat away the profits.

 

“I don’t want to see them killed just to have them killed but I need a lower population,” Davidson said.

 

One innovative approach that has gained Ohio Farm Bureau’s support is offered by a group called Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. The program helps make use of unwanted deer so the meat can be given to food banks.

 

“It’s a great opportunity for harvested deer to go to the people who need the meat and protein the most,” Henney said.

 

In addition to picking up and processing deer from farmers, the group hopes to link landowners and hunters who have an interest in providing for the needy.

 

“A lot of people go to bed hungry and want that food for their family,” said Allen Dunlap, who is a coordinator for the organization.

 

Davidson said farmers, like most Ohioans, enjoy wildlife, and they are not outright opposed to using their land to provide habitat.

 

“We feel there is a coexistence with wildlife, but there is a limit,” he said.

 

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