State officials are ramping up efforts to engage Long Island hunters in managing a rapidly growing deer population that is wreaking havoc on crops and contributing to thousands of car accidents each year. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation reports that approximately $59 million in crop losses and over 70,000 deer-related collisions statewide are driving the call for hunters to apply for deer management permits before the October 1 deadline.
While hunting may provide a short-term solution, animal rights advocates challenge this approach, advocating instead for non-lethal population control methods. Initiatives proposed include birth control for deer and planting vegetation that is less appealing to the animals. With fewer individuals taking up hunting and deer encroaching on suburban neighborhoods, the issue remains a pressing concern for wildlife officials on the island.
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