Deer population on the rise in New Brunswick
Deer roaming through town is nothing new for New Brunswickers, especially if you live in the Kennebecasis Valley.
A drive through Rothesay, Quispamsis, or Hampton will likely result in multiple deer sightings.
From 2019 to 2022, the deer population in New Brunswick more than doubled, increasing from around 73,000 to approximately 155,000. Joe Kennedy, a deer biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, says the number is continuing to climb.
“We had around a seven per cent increase last year,” says Kennedy.
“This year I expect an eight to 10 per cent because of the improved winter weather condition.”
Kennedy says deer are more mobile this time of year as they look for fresh green grass, which is sometimes found along the edges of roads. Because of this, he advises residents to take extra care when driving, especially between dusk and dawn, to avoid any incidents.
Residents should also refrain from feeding the deer, according to Kennedy. He says it encourages the animals to come back to your property, which could lead to more potential issues. He adds many towns have anti-feeding by-laws in place when it comes to feeding wildlife.
“If you encourage them to come into your property, because you are attracting them with food, your neighbours may not appreciate it as well because they will be getting into the vegetation on our neighbour’s property,” Kennedy says.
A big issue for many living in the Valley, or farther west in Saint Andrews. N.B., is the damage deer can do to personal gardens. Kennedy says the best way to solve the issue is to fence in the garden if possible.
Amy Cleveland, a horticulture technician at Cedarcrest Gardens, says residents can also use special deer repellant on their gardens or green spaces to keep the deer away.
“It actually works fairly well, but you have to be consistent with it,” says Cleveland.
“If you were to miss a week then the deer will know that you’ve missed that week and will come and chew your plants.”
The master gardener also says there are some plants deer tend not to eat. The greenhouse has created a pamphlet detailing what plants deer will avoid, which include ageratum, canna lilies, and lantanas.
“Nothing is ever deer-proof or truly deer-resistant,” Cleveland notes.
“A hungry young deer is certainly going to nibble and going to try things, and things that were certainly deer-resistant five years ago, lets say like a rhododendron, that aren’t necessarily deer resistant any more.”
A large number of deer in the area increases the chances of Lyme-carrying deer ticks.
Veterinarian Maggie Brown-Bury advises those living in areas with a larger deer population to always check themselves and their pets for ticks when returning home from walks.
“There are products you can put on your pet to help prevent ticks,” she points out.
“The deer are not going to do anything to slow down the tick population, so you just have to kind of protect yourself and protect your pets.”
The Kennebecasis Valley also has a Nuisance Deer Management Assistance Program to help control the population. The program allows area landowners who apply and are approved to receive special permits to harvest antlerless deer on their property, given there is deer related damage.
“We know that it is primarily female deer causing damage to plants and vegetation,” Kennedy says.
“By removing the breeding females from the properties it has two effects. Of curse it reduces the breeding potential in that local area, but it also scares off the young generation when you start harvesting the older female deer in the herd. The younger deer recognize that and realize there is a threat in that area and will often scare them away.”
Kennedy says the program has been successful, pointing to a reduction in permit applications in recent years.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids amid Gaza-wide offensive
Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on Wednesday, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.
Five more Ontario school boards join lawsuit against social media platforms
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Introducing peanut butter during infancy can help protect against a peanut allergy later on, new study finds
New evidence suggests that feeding children smooth peanut butter during infancy and early childhood can help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy even years later.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.