Achi news desk-
Deer wandering through town is nothing new to New Brunswickers, especially if you live in the Kennebecasis Valley.
A drive through Rothesay, Quispamsis, or Hampton is likely to result in multiple deer sightings.
Between 2019 and 2022, New Brunswick’s deer population more than doubled, increasing from about 73,000 to about 155,000. Joe Kennedy, a deer biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, says the number continues to climb.
“We had an increase of about seven percent last year,” Kennedy said.
“This year I expect eight to ten percent because of the better winter weather.”
Kennedy says deer are more mobile this time of year as they search for fresh green grass, which can sometimes be found along roadsides. Because of this, he advises residents to take special care when driving, especially between dusk and dawn, in order to avoid any incidents.
Residents should also refrain from feeding the deer, according to Kennedy. He says it encourages the animals to come back to your property, which could lead to more potential problems. He added that many towns have anti-feeding bylaws in place when it comes to feeding wildlife.
“If you encourage them to come onto your property, because you attract them with food, your neighbors may not appreciate it as well because they will go into the vegetation on our neighbour’s property,” he says Kennedy.
A big issue for many who live in the Valley, or further west in Saint Andrews. NB, is the damage deer can do to personal gardens. Kennedy says the best way to solve the issue is to fence in the garden if possible.
Amy Cleveland, horticulture technician at Cedarcrest Gardens, says residents can also use special deer deterrents on their gardens or green spaces to keep the deer away.
“It actually works pretty well, but you have to be consistent with it,” Cleveland said.
“If you missed a week then the deer will know you missed that week and come and chew your plants.”
The head gardener also says that there are certain plants that deer tend not to eat. The greenhouse has created a pamphlet detailing what deer will avoid in terms of plants, which include ageratum, canna lilies, and lantanas.
“Nothing is ever deer-deterrent or truly deer-resistant,” notes Cleveland.
“A hungry young deer is certainly going to hurt and try things, and things that were certainly deer resistant five years ago, let’s say like rhododendron, are not necessarily deer resistant anymore.”
A large number of deer in the area increases the chance of deer ticks carrying Lyme.
Veterinarian Maggie Brown-Bury advises those living in areas with a higher deer population to check themselves and their pets for ticks when returning home from walks.
“There are products you can put on your pet to help prevent ticks,” she noted.
“The deer are not going to do anything to slow down the tick population, so you have to protect yourself and protect your pets.”
The Kennebecosis Valley also has a Nuisance Deer Management Assistance Program to help manage the population. The program allows area landowners who apply and are approved to receive special permits to harvest antlerless deer on their property, given deer-related damage.
“We know that damage to plants and vegetation is mainly caused by female deer,” Kennedy said.
“By removing the breeding females from the properties it has two effects. Of a curse it reduces the breeding potential in that local area, but it also scares the young generation when you start harvesting the older female deer in the herd. The younger deer recognize that and realize that there is a threat in that area and they often get scared.”
Kennedy says the program has been successful, pointing to a drop in license applications in recent years.
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