Vermont grapples with too many deer in some suburban areas
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — In the midst of deer hunting season, Vermont wildlife officials are trying to figure out how to reduce an abundance of deer in some suburban and other areas of the state. They say the overcrowding is taking a toll on deer health, damaging forests and causing property owners to complain about deer chomping down their landscaping.
Nick Fortin, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s deer biologist, says parts of the Champlain Valley from Burlington up through St. Albans in Franklin County are the biggest areas of concern.
Other communities around the country have expanded archery hunting, organized targeted hunting events in certain spots, and in extreme cases brought in sharpshooters to decrease the number of deer.
Fortin says the department believes it can manage the problem through expanded archery hunting in the problem areas.
