Population growth is creating more than just a nuisance for township.
By: Lauren Burgoon
MILLSTONE Everyone has been there traveling along one of Millstone’s winding roads in the dark when suddenly the headlights catch a pair, or more, of gleaming deer eyes. Sometimes blowing the horn and slamming on the brakes works and an accident is narrowly avoided. Sometimes the deer and the driver aren’t so lucky.
Encounters with deer are expected in a rural area like Millstone and some would argue their presence adds to the town’s charm, at least when thousands of dollars of vehicle damage isn’t involved. But Millstone’s deer population has exploded in recent years aerial pictures show huge masses of deer all over town and these gentle creatures are proving a huge nuisance for drivers, homeowners and even the ecosystem.
This has left the town with little choice but to consider culling the deer. In less gentler terms, that will likely mean allowing more hunters to come into town or bringing in state officials to trap and kill the animals.
"Bow hunting can be a huge factor in controlling deer," Larry Herrighty, chief of the Bureau of Wildlife Management, said Monday. "It’s less noisy (than guns) and many people prefer it. We encourage the use in these types of situations."
But one obstacle to thinning herds through bow hunting is that Millstone already has the most liberal regulations in the state. Mr. Herrighty said bow hunting is permitted in Millstone from mid-September through mid-February. He suggested that the length of the hunting season isn’t the problem in Millstone, but possibly where people are allowed to hunt. When Princeton had a similar deer overpopulation problem, municipal and private land were opened to bow hunters, he said.
Bow hunting season is off now because does will begin delivering fawns soon. Unfortunately, that will only make the problem worse in the coming months.
"The female deer are all getting ready to have twins. Where you see one deer now, there will be three by May," predicated Lester Jargowsky, public health coordinator at the county Department of Health.
And those swelling numbers can wreak havoc. From a health perspective, Lyme disease is a steadily growing problem. Mr. Jargowsky said reported cases of Lyme disease in Monmouth County grew by more than 20 percent last year. He is still looking into the data to pin down hard numbers.
Lyme disease is transmitted to humans through the deer tick and the more abundant the deer population, the greater the chance of contracting the disease. If left untreated Lyme disease can lead to facial palsy, brain inflammation and even cardiac problems.
There are also environmental factors to consider.
"It’s an ecosystem problem. The deer are wiping out wetlands," Mayor Elias Abilheira said. "We have to do something. This is unsustainable."
The deer see Millstone as a wonderful meal ticket, according to Mr. Jargowsky. The herds have no natural predators and there is an abundance of lush grass and flowers for them to eat.
"Mother Nature has a plan where there should only be so much food available. Natural conditions say that weaker deer die in the winter from no food. But not in Millstone," Mr. Jargowsky said. "There can be 8 or 10 inches of snow on the ground but deer will still find shrubs in yards and parks. They walk around all winter finding the best food to eat. It defies nature."
Besides wetlands necessary to Millstone’s ecosystem, the deer nibble farmers’ crops, tree farms and residential flowerbeds. Mr. Jargowsky, for one, has an azalea bush that hasn’t grown more than 7 inches in 15 years because deer see it as a great meal.
Of course, there also is the financial impact deer have, typically on car repairs. James Connelly of Pullen Drive recalled his own recent run-in with a deer in neighboring Manalapan the unavoidable accident caused extensive damage to the family’s brand new car.
"Often this is an issue of culling. We are at the top of the food chain and I don’t feel guilty about that at all," Mr. Connelly said, adding that good can come from culling. "We can work with food banks to give them the venison."
But if bow hunting restrictions aren’t hindering overpopulation solutions, as Mr. Herrighty said, what can be done? Millstone could take Princeton’s lead and ask owners of large private tracts to allow hunters on their properties to cull deer. The town could also make a bigger effort to let out-of-state hunters know they are welcome during hunting seasons. Or Millstone could hire professional cullers, who work for about $200 to 500 per deer.
There are other options too. The Division of Fish and Wildlife can help Millstone create a population control plan tailored to the town’s needs, Mr. Herrighty said. One option is trap and euthanize program where homeowners allow state officials onto their property to capture deer. The animals are transported to another location to be euthanized.
Another alternative to hunting, deer contraception, is more controversial. It is seen as humane but also hugely expensive. It can cost about $1,000 per deer to capture, tag and inject contraceptives into a doe and some contraceptives need to be injected twice a year. Plus, Millstone would need permission from the state and Food and Drug Administration since deer contraceptives are experimental and unapproved.
"No community using this experimental contraception has shown any success" in reducing deer populations, Mr. Herrighty said.
A second humane option in some people’s eye is a trap and transfer program, but Mr. Herrighty said that alternative is "basically down the tubes." Other states are closing their borders to outside deer for fear of their own overpopulation problems or diseases.
That is not stopping Committeewoman Nancy Grbelja, a noted animal lover, from searching for alternatives to culling.
"I understand it is a problem. You don’t see me bringing 500 people in here trying to stop hunting. But I would rather find another way if at all possible," she said. "Maybe there are alternate solutions."
Mayor Abilheira said he will give Ms. Grbelja time to research hunting alternatives so the entire committee can feel confident in whatever eventual course Millstone will take to control the deer population.

