I've been a deer hunter for several years now. I'm always looking for deer whether I'm hunting or in a car. I could tell you where the deer would be, and the time they would be there. It was always the same spot, year after year. That's not the case this year, something happened, that changed all of that.
The population of Virginia's whitetail deer, has declined a noticeable amount. Just from driving down the road, you can tell that the population is down, by looking for deer that have been hit by automobiles. I've only seen a total of 4 deer hit on the road this year. From Palmyra, all the way to Luray, I only saw one deer. The deer was dead on Route 15. Out of all of the farms we passed on that trip to Luray, there were no deer seen grazing in the cornfields, or other crop fields for that matter. What has happened to the population of the largest wild herbivore in the commonwealth?
Fellow outdoorsmen, and farmers, may have noticed the sparse production of fruits and nuts this past winter. Specifically, the acorns that were produced were diminutive, to say the least. Deer were forced to relocate in search of food. Does did not have the proper nutrition to nourish their fawns. Many deer died off as a result of the shortage, causing an evident retrogression to the population of the whitetail herd.
Another leading factor in the shortage of deer is accredited to the excessive killing of deer. Spotlighting (night time hunting or use of a spotlight, or the headlights of an automobile to take a wild game animal, which is illegal) plays a major role in the population decline. The number of Doe taken has a lot to do with it as well. When killing does, you should kill based on the amount of does seen where you're hunting, in relationship to the number of bucks. Just because you have plenty of doe tags, doesn't necessarily mean you should fill those tags in one place.
Another major cause, in my opinion, one that acknowledged nearly enough, is the use of chemicals such as insecticides on crops. Deer eat vegetation, its an act of nature, one that can't be controlled. Farmers use insecticide to prevent insects from destroying their produce. When the deer eat the sprayed crop, it can cause damage to the deer internally, and can cause death in some. Genetic mutation is another repercussion of the consumed chemicals.
There are two main diseases that kill deer, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Hemorrhagic Disease (HD). The most important infectious disease in Virginia is HD. Spread by small flies (also known as sand gnats), biting one deer then biting another. As a result of HD, deer suffer from depression, fever, swollen neck, tongue or eyelids, and even difficulty breathing. Infected deer will lose their appetite, and be less active. Due to high fever, deer may be found dead near a water source, in the cool, damp soil. If you suspect a deer to be infected, DO NOT TOUCH IT!
Chronic Wasting Disease is a progressive neurological (brain and nervous system) disease. Symptoms include severe weight loss, deviant behavior, loss of bodily functions, and ultimately death. CWD is spread from direct contact, and through the soil, through saliva, feces, and urine of deer. The soil could be contaminated for several years. It can take up to 5 years before a deer start showing any symptoms of infection.
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| Deer showing symptoms of CWD Photo from Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries |
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