CJ's Summary:
To gain access to prime hunting properties, get involved with FHFH or similar venison-donation programs in your state, take a child hunting, and create a deer management plan that demonstrates your professionalism to landowners. Since 1997, FHFH hunters in some 30 states have donated more than 1,600 tons of venison and other big game, providing over 1.28 million meals to the hungry. A 100-pound deer yields about 200 meals. Average processing cost is about $50, which equates to $1 per pound, or about 25 cents per serving. If you are interested in donating to or starting an FHFH chapter, contact: 1-866-GET-FHFH; www.fhfh.org. Without a doubt, the FHFH program is one of our most cost-effective options for promoting the value of our cherished sport well into this century.

Deer Damage

Here are a few documented references to deer damage around the country:

Conover and Decker determined that losses caused by whitetail deer exceed losses associated with all other wildlife species in the United States.

• In 1996, researcher Wywialowski found that in the top 10 corn-producing states, deer damage exceeded $21 million.
• In 1995, researcher Isleib estimated that annual crop losses to deer in Michigan's Upper Peninsula exceeded 25 percent of all field and forage crops grown.
• In 1987, researcher Purdy from New York found that, on average, deer commonly do more than $15,000 in damage per orchard.
• In 1992, researcher Craven concluded that agricultural producers generally tolerate about $500, or 10 percent crop loss (whichever comes first), in wildlife damage.
• Many state governments provide compensation for damage caused by deer or issue depredation permits to allow for the removal of depredating animals. Furthermore, some state agencies provide assistance to landowners for constructing deer-proof fences (e.g., The Wisconsin Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program). In addition to fences and repellents, other methods used to control deer damage include modification (e.g., lure crops), live trapping and translocation, fertility control, frightening devices (e.g., scarecrow), and lethal control (e.g., hunting). In many cases, fence costs were too high to be profitable or were considered incompatible with other land uses.
• Deer collisions with automobiles and aircraft threaten human health and safety and cause substantial economic damage. In Bowhunter's "2006 Deer Forecast," 32 states reported more than 480,600 deer were killed on highways in the United States. Research has shown that the actual figure would be at least double that, or more than 950,000 collisions. Throughout the year, a minimum of one deer dies per minute on the nation's highways. In 2002, researcher Conover estimated these accidents cost motorists approximately $1.6 billion annually.
• In 2006, researcher Dolbeer determined that deer were the most hazardous wildlife species on airport runways, causing an estimated $85,093 damage per collision with aircraft.
• Connecticut deer biologist Howard Kilpatrick determined that whitetail deer serve as a host for the primary vector of Lyme disease. Reducing concentrations of deer can reduce the occurrence of Lyme disease in humans.