Why do the RSPB and other conservation hooligan charities such as the
Woodland Trust kill wildlife rather than manage it properly. We all
know killing large numbers of animals merely causes them to breed more
and quicker. The RSPB know this, yet still carry on doing it, could it
be their pro hunt connections getting in the way of genuine
conservation? does seem strange that all we hear is what they want to
kill and get rid of, ruddy ducks, ship rat, hedgehogs, foxes. Thought
they were supposed to look after wildlife and habitat?

Who is Responsible for the Size of Our Deer Population?

NJ's deer herds have been sculpted by both the NJ Fish and Game
Council and the NJ Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife for the sake of
recreational hunting. These organizations have deliberately "managed"
deer to create the largest population possible. The evidence for this
comes directly from Fish and Games' own reports:

"Deer were reestablished in New Jersey by sportsmen-conservationists
for the purpose of sport hunting. Since that "restocking period" the
responsible agency (now the Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife) has
been managing the deer resource for this purpose." An Assessment of
Deer Hunting in New Jersey (pg.7)

"Habitat development and maintenance to benefit deer are conducted on
73 state owned Fish and Wildlife management areas totaling over
192,000 acres. Habitat management is encouraged on other public and
private lands. Limited burning, wood harvest and planting of various
agricultural crops favored by deer can increase the carrying capacity
by increasing the quality and quantity of food available." An
Assessment of Deer Hunting in New Jersey (pg.10)

"From the mid-1970's through the 1980's, the Division and the Fish and
Game Council sought to allow deer numbers to increase within sections
of the inner coastal plain including Salem, western Cumberland,
Gloucester, northwestern Burlington and western Monmouth counties. By
1990, with the exceptions of Island Beach State Park, a small portion
of Cape May County located below the Cape May canal and a few other
isolated areas, deer occupied all available range." Governor's Report
On Deer Management In New Jersey (pg.5)

When a large number of deer are removed from a herd through hunting,
competition for food, water, space and breeding opportunities is
reduced. The herd reacts to the sudden kill with increased breeding,
and, with plenty of food to go around, more females become pregnant
and twin and triplet births often occur.

In their 1990 report, An Assessment of Deer Hunting in New Jersey,
Fish and Game offered a detailed example of this process:

"One of the most dramatic examples of the effect of habitat
improvement or food availability on reproductive capacity occurred in
the Earle Naval Ammunition Depot in Monmouth County. Range conditions
improved in this case by an annual removal of deer by hunting.

Between 1968 and 1973 the reproductive rate almost doubled, an
indication that the herd was in much healthier condition. The
estimated fawn crop in 1969 was 116 fawns produced by 122 females, a
reproductive rate of 0.95 fawns per doe, compared to 1974 when 78 does
produced 133 fawns, or 1.70 fawns per doe (Burke et al. 1975)

New York reports similar improvement. In the western area of the state
a 1.60 embryo/doe ratio existed in 1939-43. Following antlerless
seasons, the reproductive rate increased to 1.90 embryos per doe in
1947-49. In areas where no antlerless seasons were held and the
population density remained unchanged, fertility declined." (pg.15)

Fish and Game's report shows that even during hunting seasons in which
killing female deer was the objective (anterless seasons), the
remaining females had increased birthrates that not only replaced the
ones killed, but increased the overall size of the herd.

In this century, Fish and Game has allowed the killing of more than
1,300,000 deer, 600,000 in the last decade alone, yet the population
is larger than ever. If this is the end result of 100 years of deer
management through killing, then killing is not effective in reducing
deer populations.

http://www.hnva.net/Deerfactsheet.html