Episode 083 - When You Can’t Hunt: Fertility Control as a Deer Management Tool
In this episode, Stephanie Boyles-Griffin, Jessica Tegt, Steve Demarais, and Bronson Strickland discuss the complexities of urban deer management, exploring the challenges posed by growing deer populations in urban areas. While recreational hunting remains the most effective and practical tool for population control in most settings, an increasing number of circumstances—especially in urban and suburban areas—render it unfeasible. Stephanie and Jessica, both from the Botstiber Institute, outline non-lethal and alternative methods commonly used to manage deer in these environments and walk through the series of decisions required to evaluate which techniques are appropriate and how likely they are to succeed.
Below, Stephanie and Jessica have provided resources if you are interested in learning more.
Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu. You will have to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.
Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)
Resources:
Contact information
Stephanie Boyles-Griffin: [email protected]
Jessica Tegt: [email protected]
Urban Deer Conflict Management Planning Resources
- https://www.humaneworld.org/sites/default/files/docs/HSUS%20Deer%20Conflict%20Mgt%20Plan_FINAL.pdf
- https://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/b297ac45-d908-4fd9-b06f-95cd5376907d/content
- https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/8816/1297/6730/Methods_for_Managing_Human-Deer_Conflicts_in_Urban_Suburban_and_Exurban_Areas.pdf
BIWFC
- https://wildlifefertilitycontrol.org/
- https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1871&context=hwi
- https://wildlifefertilitycontrol.org/webinar-11-blacktail-deer/
- https://wildlifefertilitycontrol.org/webinar-denicola/
Surgical
- https://www.whitebuffaloinc.org/
- DeNicola, A. J., and V. L. DeNicola. 2021. Ovariectomy as a management technique for suburban deer populations. Wildlife Society Bulletin 45:445–455.
https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/wsb.1218
- Staten Island Story Map https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e3a5f6d544594690a313693d1e88d9ef
- DeNicola, V., Mezzini, S., Bursać, P. et al. Effects of vasectomy on breeding-related movement and activity in free-ranging white-tailed deer. Mov Ecol 13, 34 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-025-00554-5
Nonsurgical
Naugle, R. E., A. T. Rutberg, H. B. Underwood, J. W. Turner, Jr., and I. K. M. Liu. 2002. Field testing of immunocontraception on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at Fire Island National Seashore, New York, USA. Reproduction Supplement 60:143–153.
Rutberg, A. T., R. E. Naugle, L. A. Thiele, and I. K. M. Liu. 2004. Effects of immunocontraception on a suburban population of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. Biological Conservation 116:243–250.
Gionfriddo. J. P., A. J. DeNicola, L. Miller, and K. A. Fagerstone. 2011. Efficacy of GnRH immunocontraception of wild white-tailed deer in New Jersey. Wildlife Society Bulletin 35(3):149–160.
Rutberg, A. T., R. E. Naugle, J. W. Turner, Jr., M. Fraker, D. Flanagan, and I. K. M. Liu. 2013. Tests of one-treatment immunocontraceptive vaccines on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on Fripp Island, SC. Wildlife Research 40:281–288. https://wildlifefertilitycontrol.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Rutberg-et-al-2013-Wildlife-Research.pdf
Walker, M.J., Shank, G.C., Stoskopf, M.K., Minter, L.J. and DePerno, C.S. (2021), Efficacy and Cost of GonaCon™ for Population Control in a Free-ranging White-tailed Deer Population. Wildl. Soc. Bull., 45: 589-596. https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1237
https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/wsb.1237