PRINCETON: Township deer herd thinning to start Feb. 15

By Victoria Hurley-Schubert, Staff Writer
   Deer hunting and removal will begin in Princeton Township beginning Feb. 15 to control the excessive herd.
   There are between 450 to 500 deer in the 16 square miles of the Princetons.
   ”The state recommends 20 to 25 deer per square mile,” said Mark Johnson, animal control officer in September when the Township Committee approved the plan.
   ”They estimate the deer being 40 to 45 per square mile,” or double the state recommendation,’ he said.
   The herd needs to be thinned by 150 to 200 deer for an acceptable deer population, said Mr. Johnson.
   White Buffalo Inc. will conduct the operation, which will end on or before March 31.
   Captured and euthanized animals will be donated to Norwestcap, an agency that distributes to the needy.
   Thinning will take place in the following areas:
* Mercer County Herrontown Woods Arboretum
* Mountain Lakes Reserve (Portions of Block 5201, Lots 2 and 29.14 only)
* Farmview Fields (Portions of Block 3501, Lot 2.02 only)
* Gulick Farm
* Historic Overlook and Stony Brook/Quaker Road (Block 9801, lots 4, 9 and 10 – approximately 38 acres located between Mercer Street and Route 206)
* Greenway Meadows
* Van Dyke Woods/Smoyer Park
   Operations in areas open to the public will take place only after the parks close and will be completed before they reopen. The police will provide security by directly supervising the removal activities and patrolling the parks while removal operations take place.