Other Islands
Initial research has identified herd reduction methods on other islands and we seek to learn from their experiences.
Catalina Island
- Contracted hunters shooting deer on the ground with rifles
- Previous plan: Aerial sharpshooting from helicopters
- Goal: Complete eradication of ~2,000 mule deer
Fire Island
- Professional sharpshooters culling ~30-60 deer annually
- Immunocontraceptive vaccine reduced population by half (1995-2009)
- Target density: 20-25 deer per square mile
Monhegan Island
- Complete eradication via sharpshooting (52 deer removed in 1996)
- Followed by local hunters for maintenance
- Reduced Lyme disease incidence to near zero
Staten Island
- Vasectomies/sterilization of male deer (1,719 bucks since 2016)
- Multifaceted: Traffic safety, education, resource protection
- Aimed at 10-30% annual reduction
Sydney Island
- Professional marksmen: Ground hunting and helicopter shooting
- Phase 2: Fencing to divide island, hunters with dogs
- Complete eradication of fallow deer (Phase 1: 84 deer removed)
Maui
- Hunting with no bag limits, focus on does
- Fencing (111,000 acres fenced, increasing heights)
- Commercial culling with FLIR tech; ~7,000 harvested annually