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The Forest Preserve District of Will County has completed its deer culling for the 2011-2012 season. A total of 99 deer were removed from six of the eight preserves specified in the District's Deer Management Program Logistical Plan for 2011-2012.
Culling at two preserves, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve and Messenger Marsh Preserve in Homer Glen, was suspended until aerial counts could be completed at each site to confirm the deer number prior to culling. Due to the lack of snow cover, the District was unable to complete any aerial counts, and culling was canceled at those two sites for the 2011-2012 season. As a result of the unseasonably warm weather which affected deer behavior and movement patterns, the District's culling program was suspended three weeks prior to the end of the allotted time under the District's permit through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). The 2011-2012 culling program allowed for an estimated 4,455 pounds of venison to be donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank of St. Charles, Illinois.
The preserves designated for the 2011-2012 culling program were selected with data collected through the District's monitoring program, which has a goal of creating a sustainable relationship between deer populations, biological diversity, and habitat structure. The target density is 20 deer per square mile.
In all, the Forest Preserve was issued permits through the IDNR to cull 250 deer at the eight preserves: Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve, Romeoville Prairie Nature Preserve, McKinley Woods in Channahon, Messenger Woods Nature Preserve and Messenger Marsh Preserve in Homer Glen, Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve and Sand Ridge Savanna Nature Preserve/Kankakee Sands Preserve in the Braidwood area, and Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve in Beecher.
Removal of female deer (does) is the most effective means of reducing and maintaining deer population size. Therefore, only non-antlered deer were targeted.
As was the case last year, which was the first year of deer culling in Will County forest preserves, sharpshooters under the direction of Forest Preserve Police performed the culling. Deer were drawn to bait stations and a marksman shot the deer from a distance of 50 yards or less. Natural terrain was used to determine the location of firing stations to ensure an acceptable backdrop for shooting in a downward trajectory into the preserves.
All culling took place starting at dusk when the preserves were closed. Notices were posted around the preserve where culling was taking place, Forest Preserve Police were stationed around the preserve, and adjacent landowners were notified in writing about the culling. Culling occurred Monday through Thursday evenings.
Nearly all preserves selected for the culling are nature preserves, which feature populations of rare, threatened, or endangered plant species that are highly vulnerable to excessive deer browse.
In its first year of culling, the Forest Preserve killed 134 deer, and more than three tons of venison that was derived from these animals was donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
The Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners approved the 2011-2012 Deer Management Plan in August 2011.
Learn more by downloading the Deer Management Program Logistical Plan for 2011-2012, or by downloading the Deer Management Program Report for 2010-2011. A summary report for the 2011-2012 Deer Management Program will be posted when it becomes available.
For more information, call 815.727.8700.
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