Until Monday (Oct. 1), the state was responsible for picking up all those dead deer
By John Tredrea
Roughly 400 deer are found dead each year on roads throughout Hopewell Township, township Health Officer Gary Guarino estimated Friday.
Until Monday (Oct. 1), the state was responsible for picking up all those dead deer.
Like other municipalities in New Jersey, the township is now responsible for picking up dead deer on all municipal roads. "The county will do the county roads. The state will do the state and federal roads," Mr. Guarino said.
As a cost-savings measure, the state decided to stop picking up the deer during its budget deliberations this year, when a huge deficit had to be eliminated.
At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Hopewell Township Committee approved a contract with Deer Carcass Removal Service of Cream Ridge. Under the contract, which runs through Dec. 31, the township will pay $65 per carcass. The maximum amount that will be paid to the firm is $8,000.
Mr. Guarino said Deer Carcass Removal Service has similar contracts with other towns in this area.
The health officer said that, in Hopewell Township, about one-third of each year’s quota of dead deer is found in the autumn. "That’s their rutting season, and the deer go a little crazy then and tend to wander onto roads more," he said. "Deer have no natural predators. Those that don’t die of natural causes in this area usually lose their lives to cars or guns."
When the township receives a report of a dead deer, the state, county, or Deer Carcass Removal Service will be called, the choice depending on what level of government has jurisdiction over the road where the deer was found.

