Check below information from Ann Arbor to find general Southeastern Michigan information and articles from Southern Michigan Counties– Oakland, Wayne, Lansing, Genesee, Macomb, Jackson, Livingston, Midland, Saginaw, Kalamazoo, Hillsdale, Kent, Ottawa, Waterford, Barry, Allegan
For cull on UM- Dearborn campus
See also older articles on Local 2016-17, Local 2015 and Local 2014 and earlier

Ann Arbor

2017
City of Ann Arbor 2018 Deer Management ProgramFrom Jan. 2 through Jan. 7, up to three areas in Wards 1 and 2 will have deer sterilization activities performed every day from 3 p.m. to 5 a.m. by the city’s contractor, White Buffalo.
Ann Arbor’s plan to shoot deer in neighborhoods has some residents in fear, MLive, Dec 7, 2017The next cull is expected to last most of January, taking place in several parts of the city, including city parks and nature areas, university properties, and some private properties with owner consent. The shooting will be taking place from 3 p.m. to midnight daily. It’s expected that shooting will occur on a small number of city-selected private properties in wards 1 and 2, which include the north and east sides of the city, and also around Mary Beth Doyle Park on the south side of the city in Ward 3.

Ann Arbor details plans for hunt to manage deer population, USNews, Dec 5, 2017The Ann Arbor News reports nonprofit contractor White Buffalo will complete sterilizations from Jan. 2-7 by tranquilizing up to 26 female deer and surgically removing their ovaries. A hunt to kill up to 250 deer is scheduled Jan. 8-31.

See which parks could close for Ann Arbor’s deer cull in January, MLive, Nov 20, 2017The city of Ann Arbor has released a tentative list of 18 parks and nature areas that could be closed during designated hours for most of January 2018 while the city brings in sharpshooters to carry out the city’s third-annual deer cull.

Local animal rights group launches online petition to end lethal deer cull program, Michigan Daily, Nov 5, 2017“The Nichols Arboretum, which is expected to be a showcase and living laboratory of diverse species, has been unable to establish many seedlings due to the overgrazing of the deer herd,” Kosteva wrote. “The University has also incurred a significant loss of landscape materials, particularly on North Campus, that have been consumed or damaged by deer. Replacing that material has required a costly diversion of funds that otherwise could support more mission centered activities.”

Michigan Deer-Vehicle Crashes By The Numbers, We Love Ann Arbor, Oct 17, 2017According to a study conducted by State Farm, Michigan is the eighth most dangerous state for motor vehicle collisions with large animals such as deer, moose and elk. On average, one of every 85 Michigan drivers will have an insurance claim for damage from hitting a deer.

Ann Arbor updates deer cull contract to shoot significantly more deer in 2018, MLive, Oct 17, 2017The council and mayor voted 10-1 in favor of updating the city’s 2017-18 budget to spend another $35,940 on its contract with White Buffalo, the Connecticut-based nonprofit wildlife control company that has provided services for Ann Arbor’s deer cull the past two years.

Look up 2016 deer accidents in your Michigan community, MLive, Oct 16, 2017

Ann Arbor approves $481K to continue deer management efforts, Ann Arbor News, July 6, 2017The council voted unanimously and without discussion Monday night, July 3, to approve a two-year contract with White Buffalo Inc. for continuation of surgical sterilization and sharpshooting services at a cost of up to $170,000 per year, or $340,000 over two years.

Anna Polumbo-Levy: Start a conversation, Michigan Daily, June 28, 2017Through various interviews, we learned Warpehoski was an environmentalist, and his support for the deer cull was one that came from an ecological standpoint. The overpopulation of deer is a problem for people and drivers, but more crucially it is making Ann Arbor less ecologically diverse, as we have removed their natural predators. So, when the Editorial Board finally decided to try, again, to take a stance on the deer cull last winter, as I looked around the room, I could see how framed in a new light, with new information in hand (via Warpehoski), the deer cull made more sense to some people than it had before — it definitely made more sense to me. In the end, the vast majority of the Editorial Board voted to endorse the deer cull.

Man who died in motorcycle crash with deer was Navy veteran, grandfather, MLive, May 25, 2017The 57-year-old Navy veteran from Ypsilanti Township died Tuesday, May 23, in a motorcycle crash on Wiard Road.

Motorcyclist dies after striking deer then being run over by car, Mlive, May 24, 2017A man died after his motorcycle struck a deer and he was then run over by a car near the intersection of Wiard Road at Tyler Road in Ypsilanti Township on Tuesday, May 23

Issues Of The Environment: Tick Explosion Likely In 2017, Washtenaw County Lyme Cases Increasing, NPR, May 24, 2017 2017 is predicted to be an abundant year for ticks, and residents of the greater Washtenaw County region need to be aware that Lyme disease, as well as other tick-borne illnesses, are possible. 2016 was the first summer that Lyme was reported to be transmitted in the county, with four of the 17 cases detected likely originating locally.

City votes to keep deer cull in the budget, Michigan Daily, May 15, 2017The city had conducted a survey in 2016 in which 54 percent of the more than 2,000 respondents indicated they approved of lethal methods of population management and 61 percent approved of non-lethal methods. [There was also mileages that were passed to support the other efforts.]

Lyme Disease Can be Transmitted by Ticks in Washtenaw County, EWashtenaw, 2017All residents and visitors are urged to “fight the bite” against ticks and tick-borne disease. Transmission season for Lymedisease in Michigan typically occurs from May through August, with a peak in June. Frequent tick checks are important during this time of year, as prompt removal of ticks can prevent Lyme disease infection.

Lyme Disease confirmed in Washtenaw County ticks, Manchester Mirror, May 1, 2017Last summer, a local resident who had not traveled outside of the county was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Until then, local cases of Lyme disease have been related to travel to west Michigan or other states where infested tick populations are present. Of the 17 cases of Lyme in Washtenaw residents in 2016, four were likely exposed within the county. You can reduce your chances of getting a tick-borne disease by using repellents, wearing long sleeves and long pants tucked into socks, checking for ticks on your body, clothes and pets, and showering after being outdoors. Avoiding wooded and bushy areas with high grass is also recommended. If you have a tick bite followed by a fever or rash, seek medical attention.

Check For Ticks! Experts Warn Of Increased Lyme Disease Risk In Southeast Michigan, CBSDetroit, May 1, 2017The blacklegged tick is well-established in Michigan’s western Upper and Lower Peninsulas, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. However, the ticks are expanding into new areas across the Lower Peninsula. In 2016, there were 221 human cases of Lyme disease reported, and approximately two out of three cases reported exposure in Michigan. Tips: Avoiding tick-infested areas, Using insect repellent, Performing daily tick checks, Bathing or showering

Monitoring Deer Impacts on Natural Vegetation in Ann Arbor: A Pilot Study of Red Oak Seedlings as Experimental Indicators of Deer Browse Intensity (Sentinel Seedlings) Across 10 Ann Arbor Natural Areas, Jacqueline Courteau, Ph.D. Consulting Biologist/Ecologist, City of Ann Arbor, April 30, 2017Deer damaged 61% of unfenced experimental seedlings overall, with browse
rates ranging from 20–90% depending on the park. This level exceeds the 15% recommended by Blossey (2014) as likely to reduce forest regeneration.

Lyme disease now officially a known risk in Washtenaw County, MLive, April 13, 2017Until last summer, all local cases were considered likely to be related to travel to western Michigan or other states where infested tick populations are present, according to Washtenaw County Public Health.
But then last summer a resident in a rural area in the western part of the county contracted Lyme disease, apparently without leaving the county, public health officials reported. Now, they’re reporting there were 17 total cases of Lyme disease in Washtenaw County residents in 2016, and four were likely exposed within the county, according to the county.

New report examines Ann Arbor deer population, control efforts, Ann Arbor News, March 13, 2017A total of 315 deer were detected in Ann Arbor during a population count conducted in early February. That’s more than 50 percent higher than the number of deer spotted during the last count a year earlier. The 22-page report offers a recap of the recent deer cull and sterilization efforts, and looks at population numbers.

Botanical gardens discussion reviews implementation, effects of deer cull, Michigan Daily, March 8, 2017The pattern of feeding wherein deer move through a wooded location and feed on underbrush, negatively affected forest growth and diversity in multiple local parks. One of the ways she — in cooperation with the University of Michigan — tried to quantify the damage done to plants by browsing is by systematically planting an indicator species like red oak, and observing how deer and other animals interacted with it. “Browse proportion ranged from 20 percent to 90 percent depending on the site, but in half of the sites, 60 percent or more were deer-browsed, and some of them repeatedly,” she said. Paul Muller, a retired employee of the Metropark system, emphasized the entire parks and recreation community was concerned with carrying out the cull as effectively and ethically as possible.

Deer impacts on natural areas focus of free talk in Ann Arbor, MLink, March 6, 2017Two local groups, Wild Ones Ann Arbor and Washtenaw Citizens for Ecological Balance, are presenting the free program titled, “How Deer Affect Plants, Pollinators and Ecological Processes: Studies in Southeast Michigan.

Jacqueline Courteau, a local ecologist and biologist, is expected to speak about her research on the impacts of deer in natural areas.

Paul Muelle, who recently retired as manager of natural resources for the Huron-Clinton Metroparks, is expected to describe the conditions that led the Metroparks to decide to cull deer on some of its properties, as well as how the culls have been done, the results and ongoing management program.

Tick-borne Lyme disease exploding into Michigan; human cases up 5-fold, The Free Press, Feb 23, 2017The Lyme disease spike in Michigan correlates with the spread of blacklegged ticks here. In 1998, the ticks were established in only five counties — Berrien County in the southwestern-most Lower Peninsula, and four counties in the Upper Peninsula — and reported in 22 other counties. By 2016, however, the ticks were established in almost five times as many counties — established in 24 Michigan counties and reported in 18 others. The ticks have overtaken the entirety of the Lake Michigan shoreline in the Lower Peninsula, from Charlevoix to St. Joseph. But tick populations are not staying confined to coastal counties, becoming established increasingly to the east in the southern part of the state.
[Saline resident, who had not traveled outside the county,] Feldkamp said she never got her primary care doctor, neurologist, or oncologist to take Lyme disease seriously. “And once I started being vocal about it on Facebook, I started hearing from all these other people suffering from Lyme disease who’ve had a similar experience with their doctors,” she said.

Opinion: HSHV spreads false info about A2 deer, The Ann, Feb 16, 2017The Humane Society of Huron Valley has consistently provided false information about Ann Arbor’s deer management plan. This misinformation: Breeds conflict, Damages our local democracy, Puts council through unnecessary hours of listening to a relatively few protesters, Impedes the contractor’s efforts and adds to the city’s expense.

Deer Cull Activities Completed Safely, Parks Reopened, A2gov.org, Feb 7, 2017From Jan. 30 to Feb. 6, White Buffalo sharpshooters lethally removed 96 deer from designated parks and nature areas and University of Michigan properties. A Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) special research permit allowed White Buffalo sharpshooters to remove up to 100 deer. City staff in consultation with White Buffalo decided to re-open the parks and conclude this year’s program due to poor weather; and the effort to obtain four additional deer was outweighed by the benefit of re-opening the parks. There were zero safety incidences related to cull operations.

Ann Arbor council member’s wife hits 2 deer while taking kids to school, MLive, Jan 31, 2017“And we’ve had lots of near-misses in the past, but this was the morning that we actually made contact, not with just one, but two deer.” Westphal, who was not in the car, shared the story publicly on social media and recounted it in an interview. He said his wife was driving about 10 mph because of the snow when a deer herd ran across the street. One deer bounced off the front bumper and another jumped and tripped over the roof, while others ran behind the car, Westphal said.

Michigan City Sterilizes Wild, Free-Ranging Deer, Outdoor Life, Jan 31, 2017Deer aren’t dogs. Or cats. Or horses. They’re wild animals. You can’t simply neuter them, dump them back into their habitat and stand around patting yourselves on the butt while telling each other what kind and gentle souls you are and expect everything to be just fine. The sterilization campaign was painted as an act of empathy – city residents wanted the deer population controlled, but it didn’t want to allow hunting or hunters to do it. Instead, they opted to dart, capture and sterilize deer. See, that’s what’s lost here. The folks who pushed so hard for “non-lethal” means of population control were quick to point out that they were “saving lives” by preventing hunters or sharp-shooters from killing deer, that they were doing the “humane” thing by controlling the population with birth control. In doing so, they likely aborted numerous fetuses (most of the does who underwent surgery were pregnant) and were more than willing to use wild, free-ranging wildlife as experimental test subjects. Because, surely, that’s a better option than hunting them.

54 deer in Ann Arbor now sterilized after week of ovary removals, Mlink, Jan 30, 2017All of the deer that are sterilized are being outfitted with ear tags with numbers that they’ll wear back in the wild, and several will have radio collars to track their whereabouts for further research and followup in the next year. Many of the deer sterilized this past week were pregnant, and in many cases, the removal of ovaries will not only permanently sterilize the deer but also terminate the pregnancy and prevent the birth of fawns in the spring.

Behind the scenes with Ann Arbor’s deer sterilization crew on a Friday night, MLive, Jan 28, 2017Since last Sunday, when the city-funded and state-permitted experimental operation started, the team has successfully sterilized 53 female deer and returned them to the urban wild in Ann Arbor. All of the deer that are sterilized are being outfitted with ear tags with numbers that they’ll wear back in the wild, and several will have radio collars to track their whereabouts for further research and followup in the next year.

One Guess as to What Hunters Think of Ann Arbor’s Deer Sterilization Plans, WideOpenSpaces, Jan 25, 2017Hunters are not thrilled with Ann Arbor’s plan to sterilize deer. Hunters typically would like the chance to hunt in these urban areas within city limits, but members of some communities have voiced their opinion against this. As an effort to find a solution that will appeal to a majority of the people, Ann Arbor will be the first city in Michigan to sterilize deer. In 2017, about 50 does will be captured and have their ovaries removed.

Deer cull is a necessary cost, Michigan Daily, Jan 19, 2-17The deer cull will greatly benefit the entire Ann Arbor community, including the University community, by reducing additional damage to local ecology and personal property. While killing and sterilizing deer is certainly not ideal, it is a necessary measure of population control that has been carefully planned out to ensure the safety of our residents and the efficacy and ethics of maintaining our environment.

Hunters oppose Ann Arbor’s plan to sterilize deer, Interlochen Public Radio, Jan 13, 2017t’s true that there is an added cost that comes with sterilization, but Ann Arbor is paying the bill in full, without any help from the state. The city has budgeted nearly $100,000 for the sterilization of deer in 2017.
U-M faces backlash for partnering with Ann Arbor on killing deer, MLink, Jan 12, 2017Mary Sarsfield, an animal rights advocate in Detroit, is now circulating a Change.org petition, calling on U-M to rescind its participation.

The city’s stated goal is to reduce the deer population to maintain the biodiversity and sustainability of plants, animals and insects in the city’s natural areas and to address an increase in deer-vehicle collisions and related safety concerns, as well as address damage to horticulture within the city.

UM’s own assets have been damaged and continue to be at risk by what the university believes is an overpopulation of deer. “The Nichols Arboretum, which is expected to be a showcase and living laboratory of diverse species, has been unable to establish many seedlings due to the overgrazing of the deer herd.”

Deer kill, sterilization set for Ann Arbor parks, Outdoor News, Jan 9, 2017The Ann Arbor News says 11 parks and nature areas will be closed from 3 p.m. to midnight during the 15-day hunt, which starts Jan. 30. The shooting will be performed by sharpshooters from White Buffalo Inc. Ann Arbor wants to reduce the deer population to protect plants and animals and to reduce deer-vehicle crashes.

11 city parks, Nichols Arboretum to close for Ann Arbor deer cull, MLive, Jan 6, 2016The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has approved the city’s proposal to have sharpshooters from White Buffalo Inc. come into the city for a second-annual deer cull, while for the first time conducting fertility control research on female deer in Ann Arbor by removing their ovaries.

Deer-management program on U-M property limited to Jan. 30-Feb. 2, UM Record, Jan 6, 2017Both segments of the city’s deer-management program will be carried out by a city contractor, White Buffalo. Sharpshooters will operate on U-M property for a more limited time frame of Jan. 30-Feb. 2, when the U-M properties involved will be closed each day, 3 p.m.-midnight. They include:

• Nichols Arboretum.
• Acreage south of Glazier Way and east of Fuller Road.
• Acreage south of Hubbard and west of Huron Parkway.

The DNR Let Ann Arbor Sterilize Your Deer, MUCC, Jan 6, 2017The Michigan DNR – the agency that you fund with your hunting, fishing and trapping license dollars – just gave the City of Ann Arbor the go-ahead to sterilize free-ranging whitetail deer which you have entrusted the DNR to manage. Instead of “pursuing policies which encourage hunting, including archery hunting, in urban/suburban areas, to address urban/suburban deer issues,” and upholding the public trust we place in the DNR to manage our resources, they’re allowing an independent company to implement the number one anti-hunting strategy for eliminating deer hunting.

City Announces 2017 Deer Management Program Details, Ann Arbor, Jan 6, 2017 City of Ann Arbor’s 2017 deer management program, which has three primary components:

• Sterilization (non-lethal) Plan — pneumatically darting deer in two areas, temporarily removing and surgically sterilizing deer and returning deer to area where they were found.
• Lethal Plan — sharpshooting and lethally removing up to 100 deer on public lands and a small number of large city-selected private parcels with appropriate consent.
• Educational Program and Public Rights-of-Way Improvements — providing educational materials to the community in late spring 2017 on how to live with deer, evaluating the city’s fencing ordinance and recommending improvements that can be made in the city’s rights-of-way, such as signage.

State Approves City’s 2017 Deer Management Plan, Michigan Daily, Jan 4, 2017According to the city, between the hours of 3 p.m. and 5 a.m. from Jan. 22 to 29, professionals from White Buffalo Inc. will dart doe with tranquilizers to conduct ovariectomies — surgical procedures that remove ovaries — on them at a temporary surgical site. Every sterilized deer will have a numbered ear tag attached to it, and one doe from each group will be fitted with a radio collar to track migration patterns and analyze survival rates. The program aims to sterilize at least 50 deer by the end of the week.

2016

• So Where are We Now with Ann Arbor’s Deer?, Local In Ann Arbor, Dec 30, 2016So why do we need a deer management program? Because of their explosive reproductive capability. As we explained in detail in our post, Deer and the Numbers Explosion, deer will increase their numbers exponentially if left unchecked. In the early years, one only notices that there are more deer around than in the past. Suddenly 10 deer are camping out in your backyard. This increase in numbers has many effects on the immediate territory.
• Ann Arbor waits for DNR approval to start next deer cull, ovary removal, MLive, Dec 29, 2016The city of Ann Arbor is still waiting for permission from the state to proceed with bringing in sharpshooters to kill more deer in the city and to conduct surgical sterilization research on female deer.
• Deer Cull 2.0, Ann Arbor Observer, Jan 2017
  This year’s deer cull will be shorter, but sterilizations will add to the cost.
• U-M to let city-hired shooters kill deer at Nichols Arboretum, North Campus, MLive, Nov 21, 2016The University of Michigan has agreed to partner with the city of Ann Arbor on efforts to reduce and control the local deer population. That includes allowing sharpshooters hired by the city to kill deer on university property in four general areas: in Nichols Arboretum; between the Huron River and the railroad tracks south of Fuller-Mitchell fields; south of Glazier Way and east of Fuller Road; and south of Hubbard and west of Huron Parkway.
• Mayor questions ‘cultural cost’ as Ann Arbor approves next deer cull, MLink, Nov 15, 2016The Ann Arbor City Council has decided to move forward with a combination of sharpshooting and surgical sterilization to continue efforts to reduce and control the local deer population this winter.
• Deer breaks into Ann Arbor apartment, MLink, Nov 13, 2016Police were called about 10 a.m. Sunday to an apartment in the 1800 block of Lake Lila Lane for a deer that broke through a window or sliding glass door.
• Managing deer may cost more than $250,000, Ann Arbor News, Oct 27, 2016City staff presented updated budget calculations at a City Council work session Monday night, showing $258,545 in expected costs if the city carries out a combination lethal/nonlethal program. That includes shooting as many as 100 deer and surgically sterilizing up to 60 deer, plus doing more vegetation impact studies and other data collection.
• Oh Deer! Video Shows Deer Crashing Into Northwest Indiana Restaurant, Chicago5, Oct 26, 2016Video of the scene shows the deer smashing through a window at the Aspen Cafe in St. John. The animal then runs through the restaurant, just missing a woman in the entryway, before bursting through another window to exit the building.
• New study evaluates deer damage in Ann Arbor’s natural areas, MLive, Oct 26, 2016“Ecological concerns about the impacts of deer on natural areas go beyond assessing whether deer are damaging a few plants. The larger and deeper issues are whether deer damage is leading to declines in biodiversity — in the abundance and distribution of native species — and whether that damage can lead to long-term changes in ecological communities and functions. The question is whether deer browsing might in turn lead to declining resources and habitat for pollinators, songbirds and other forest species.
• Ecologist describes plan to surgically remove ovaries from Ann Arbor deer, MLive, Oct 25, 2016In addition to using bait to lure deer in the afternoon, DeNicola said there would be a “mobile session” at night in which his team would drive around neighborhoods with a law enforcement officer and dart deer spotted.”As much as it seems almost like lunacy to dart and sterilize deer, I can literally get every animal in that neighborhood, and then through attrition that population will decline, so that is something that you have to consider.” “We have pretty extensive data to date from eight different field research projects,” he said, suggesting Ann Arbor could see a 10-20 percent annual reduction in deer population through attrition in neighborhoods where sterilization is done. He said sterilization can cost about $1,000 to $1,200 per deer.

• Deer Management 2017 Program, Ann Arbor City Council, Oct 24, 2016
• Ann Arbor officials to discuss deer cull, sterilization plans tonight, MLive, Oct 24, 2016The agenda for the meeting indicates the council will be receiving information from the city’s staff, as well as ecologist Jacqueline Courteau, and White Buffalo Inc. founder and president Anthony DeNicola. DeNicola submitted a proposal to the city on Sept. 25 for a combination of sharpshooting and surgical sterilization to control the deer population.
• Ann Arbor releases plan to kill 100 deer this winter, sterilize up to 60, MLive, Oct 15, 2016City Administrator Howard Lazarus laid out the city’s 2017 deer management strategy in an eight-page memo to the City Council on Friday, Oct. 14, indicating the goal is to kill 100 more deer using firearms this winter. Additionally, the city hopes to sterilize between 40 and 60 deer if practical and cost effective, the memo indicates.Michigan State Police data reported through MichiganTrafficCrashFacts.org shows there were 535 deer-involved traffic crashes in Ann Arbor over the last 12 years, with a spike last year, going from 51 in 2014 to 90 in 2015, while the total yearly crash count in the city ticked down from 3,827 to 3,530.

• Another lawsuit over Ann Arbor’s deer cull dismissed in Court of Claims, MLive, Aug 10, 2016The dismissal of the case in the Court of Claims followed the July 18 dismissal of a similar lawsuit brought by the same plaintiffs against the city, state and federal governments in U.S. District Court.
• Warpehoski wins 5th Ward primary in Ann Arbor by 2-to-1 margin, MLive, Aug 2, 2016With three city incumbents running uncontested this year, and another three incumbents prevailing in contested races, Warpehoski said he thinks that shows there is a high level of satisfaction with the direction the city is going. Warpehoski said he also thinks the race showed that opposition to the deer cull is not a significant factor in City Council elections.
• Person who contracted Lyme disease lives in western Washtenaw County, MLive, Aug 1, 2016During the peak tick activity season, ticks from wooded and natural areas will be collected, identified and tested. No ticks from Washtenaw County have tested positive for Lyme disease, WCPH officials note. Amanda Ng, WCPH health educator, said since there has been little testing done up until this point, it’s hard to say which areas pose more of a risk.
• Lyme disease in Michigan: New Washtenaw County case could be evidence of infected ticks, Detroit Free Press, July 30, 2016“Evidence that Lyme disease is spreading locally is new for Washtenaw County,” says Laura Bauman, epidemiology manager with Washtenaw County Public Health. “The likelihood of infection is probably still low in our area. But, we’ll know more as our local health care providers continue to identify and report cases to us. Residents can also help by submitting ticks for testing.”
• New evidence suggests Lyme disease present in Washtenaw County, MLive, July 29, 2016YPSILANTI, MI – Recently, a Washtenaw County resident was infected by Lyme disease without leaving the county, suggesting that Lyme disease may be present in Washtenaw County. “Evidence that Lyme disease is spreading locally is new for Washtenaw County,” said Laura Bauman, epidemiology manager with WCPH. “The likelihood of infection is probably still low in our area. But, we’ll know more as our local health care providers continue to identify and report cases to us.”
• Coyotes & Deer, Ann Arbor Observer, August 2016Though coyotes will obviously prey on deer, they tend to focus on young and weak deer. They generally do not have signicant impacts on deer populations in urban settings.
• a href=”http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2016/07/federal_judge_dismisses_lawsui.html#incart_river_mobile_home” target=”_blank”>Federal judge dismisses lawsuit over Ann Arbor deer cull, MLink, July 19, 2016A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit over the city of Ann Arbor’s deer-culling program. In a 22-page opinion handed down on Monday, July 18, Judge Arthur Tarnow of the U.S. District Court in Detroit granted motions by the city, state and federal governments to throw out the case.In a statement released Monday night, City Attorney Stephen Postema said the dismissal of the case is not surprising. “The case had no factual or legal basis. The city attorney will always vigorously defend against such lawsuits,” he said.

• People in shooting zones posed a challenge during Ann Arbor deer cull, MLive, June 6, 2016They might have been able to shoot more, but there were some operational challenges, including the presence of people in closed city parks and nature areas that were designated as shooting zones, city officials acknowledge.Those challenges are outlined in a newly released report from the city discussing how the first deer cull went.

• Keeping their cull, Ann Arbor News, May 22, 2016 The council is asking the city’s administration to come up with a plan by Oct. 3 for data collection, metrics, public engagement and coordination with other partners on deer management, including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the University of Michigan and Washtenaw County. It establishes a budget for a cull and all of the related deer management activities essential to success.
• ‘Deer doctor’ to visit Ann Arbor for free seminar on ‘deer-proofing’ gardens, MLive, May 19, 2016A lifelong organic gardener and past retail greenhouse/nursery owner, Baker has been instructing and consulting on deer-proofing gardens since the 1990s and has co-authored several articles. She is the author of the guidebook “How to Deer-Proof Your Garden in Five Easy Steps.”
• $145K for deer management included in Ann Arbor’s new city budget, MLive, May 17, 2016The council is asking the city’s administration to come up with a plan by Oct. 3 for data collection, metrics, public engagement and coordination with other partners on deer management, including the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, University of Michigan and Washtenaw County.
• Ann Arbor residents still divided on shooting deer, survey shows, MLive, May 4, 2016Results from a recent online survey conducted by the city show a majority of respondents — 54.4 percent — support continuing lethal methods to reduce the deer population, while 45.3 percent are opposed.
• Aarica Marsh: Deer culls aren’t so evil, Michigan Daily, March 23, 2016Maybe it’s because I’m from a rural area where people rely on hunting to survive. Maybe it’s because all of the deer meat has been used to provide for hungry families. Maybe it’s because I care more about the wildflowers than the deer. Or maybe it’s because I listened to the deer experts who have come to a consensus: Far worse ecological disasters can happen without deer control.
• Letter: Deer are vandals destroying enjoyment of hobbies, property, MLive, March 20, 2016What would you do if someone moved into your neighborhood, vandalized your property and materially degraded your ability to enjoy your home and hobbies? You would call the local municipal authorities and have these vandals removed. These vandals are deer and this vandalism occurs regularly.
• Deer-involved traffic crashes in Ann Arbor jump 73%, MLive, March 2, 2016
  Data for 2015 shows the number of reported crashes involving deer in the city jumped by 73 percent — from 51 to 88 — last year.




• Ann Arbor deer cull ends with 63 deer killed in city parks, MLive, March 1, 2016City officials said a total of 63 deer were killed by U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters hired by the city to carry out the cull for up to $35,000.
• City survey shows deer population increase despite cull, Michigan Daily, Feb 24, 2016“Many of those 168 deer (counted last year) were pregnant and gave birth, and there is low mortality in urban deer populations; deer grow exponentially and we really could be seeing a population explosion,” Dick wrote.Ann Arbor resident Bernie Banet: “We’re not surprised at all that that the population (of deer) is larger now,” Banet said, adding that his group had originally advocated for an annual cull target of 300 deer and estimated the local population of deer could be as high as 1,000. As further evidence that the Ann Arbor deer population is still growing, Banet noted that the number of deer-vehicle crashes in Ann Arbor had increased from 51 to 88 in from 2014 to 2015.

• Ann Arbor’s deer cull: ‘A divergence in values’, The Ann, Feb 24, 2016White-tailed deer have invaded yards and natural areas throughout the city. In response, and in spite of protests led by the Humane Society of Huron Valley, the City Council voted on Nov. 5 to hire sharpshooters to kill 100 of the city’s deer.
  Cull opponents have continued to comment at council meetings, tried to recall a councilmember, asked the Department of Natural Resources to deny the city’s request for a cull permit and filed an unsuccessful lawsuit to stop the cull.
• Ann Arbor officials ask whether $35K is enough for deer management next year, MLive, Feb 23, 2016The city’s administrative staff proposed placeholder funding in the amount of $35,000 at Monday night’s City Council budget work session, but that immediately prompted questions about whether that’s enough.
• Ann Arbor deer count increases from last yearMLive, Feb 22, 2016The city of Ann Arbor has released the results of a Feb. 18 aerial survey of the deer population, showing 202 deer were counted. That’s up from the 168 deer counted the last time the city conducted a helicopter flyover in March 2015, despite the fact that 51 deer in city parks were killed by hired sharpshooters this winter as of the end of last week.
• Deer cull update: Halfway there, Ann Arbor News, Feb 18, 2016 Ann Arbor officials reported this week that the citywide deer cull is about halfway to its goal of killing 100 deer. Last week, another 11 deer were shot and killed by U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters hired by the city, bringing the total number up to 47 since the cull started Jan. 2, the city reported this week. The city also is reporting that, as of Feb. 8, 1,050 pounds of venison had been donated to Food Gatherers to feed the hungry.
• The Culture War over the Deer Cull, The Ann, Feb 2016Ann Arbor is struggling through a “nature war.” White-tailed deer have invaded yards and natural areas throughout the city. In response, and in spite of protests led by the Humane Society of Huron Valley, the City Council voted on Nov. 5 to hire sharpshooters to kill 100 of the city’s deer. This article describes the process that resulted in the cull, compares it to the struggle over “accessory dwelling units” in 2002, and, from the comparison, draws lessons about how to sway City Council.
• Ann Arbor deer cull helping Food Gatherers feed the hungry, MLive, Feb 11, 2016Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger is partnering with the city and covering the costs of processing the venison.

Ann Arbor deer cull helping Food Gatherers feed the hungry, MLive, Feb 11, 2016Howell-based Great Lakes Custom Meats and More is processing the meat, which is being delivered to Food Gatherers, an Ann Arbor-based nonprofit food rescue and food bank program serving Washtenaw County. Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger is partnering with the city and covering the costs of processing the venison.

• Culled deer can help feed the hungry, Detroit Free Press, Feb 6, 2016The idea of using free-range, organic meat to feed the poor is not new. Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger has been doing it since 1991. This year, the organization provided more than 120,000 meals from Michigan’s flourishing deer population in addition to canned food drives.Yet a group of Ann Arbor citizens is deeply offended. Last week, in a zealous attempt to turn the tide against an ongoing deer cull in the parks, the Humane Society of Huron Valley released photos of dead deer — even though the harvest from the culls helps feed the needy.

Roundtable: Should the deer cull be stopped?, Michigan Daily, Feb 4, 2016The report states, “the population of white-tailed deer has significantly increased,” and details extensive surveying of Ann Arbor residents’ opinions about reducing the deer population. More than 70 percent of the surveyed residents in the overpopulated areas support lethal methods of reducing the deer population. However, the lawsuit filed notes that Ann Arbor currently has 15 to 20 deer per square mile, an appropriate amount according to Michigan Natural Features Inventory biologists.

• Humane Society posts gory dead deer photos amid emotional debate over Ann Arbor deer cull , Michigan Radio, Feb 2, 2016The fierce opposition led by the Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV) to Ann Arbor’s first deer cull continues.
• Humane Society unable to determine cause of death for deer found in Leslie Park, MLive, Feb 1, 2016The agency was unable to confirm whether the young doe’s death was caused by shooting or whether the deer was killed as a result of being attacked by predators.
  “The city has been very cooperative with the MDNR, who the city believes has authority and jurisdiction over this investigation,” Wondrash said in an email late Monday afternoon. “As a matter of fact, city staff met with the MDNR’s law enforcement division for several hours on site this afternoon. It is our understanding the MDNR personnel were then meeting with the Humane Society.
• Another Lawsuit Has Been Filed To Stop Ann Arbor’s Deer Cull, WEMU, Jan 28, 2016 A second lawsuit has been filed against the city of Ann Arbor for allowing USDA sharpshooters to kill deer for population control this winter.
• 16 deer shot in Ann Arbor parks last week, more this week, records show, MLive, Jan 28, 2016“Plaintiff makes no effort whatsoever to assert a particularized injury different from the public at large and there is no harm alleged to the plaintiff herself,” the city attorneys argue. “The state MDNR regulates wildlife in Michigan under the authority of the NREPA. Plaintiff does not own any deer.”The city attorneys argue the deer cull is authorized by the DNR and that Daniels has failed to sue a proper party from the state, which the city contends is a necessary party to adjudicate the issues raised in the complaint. Had she joined the DNR in the lawsuit, they argue, she would have heard directly from the attorney general’s office that the DNR validly and legally authorized the cull permit.

• Ann Arbor facing second lawsuit over deer cull, Jan 27, 2016The new lawsuit — the second against the city over the deer cull — was filed in Washtenaw County Circuit Court and is before Judge Timothy Connors. Connors this week denied Daniels’ initial request for a temporary restraining order seeking to halt the cull, which started earlier this month.
• Deer cull causes controversy in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Voice, Jan 19, 2016“This was a two year process,” said Lisa Wondrash, Ann Arbor’s communications director. “The city administrator at the time had been directed to look into deer management options. He presented a report to the city council that included research that had been done and deer management in other communities.”
• Why ecologists support Ann Arbor’s deer cull, The Bridge, Jan 14, 2016I have discussed the urban deer issue with academic biologists at the University of Michigan, including ecologists, botanists, zoologists, restoration ecologists and landscape architects. We are all in support of city council’s decision to conduct a cull.From ecological and conservation perspectives, an ideal deer herd will coexist with a full range of native species. By several measures, Ann Arbor’s herd size has surpassed this threshold. Botanists at the U-M have long noted declines in native plants that deer favor, through decades of observation, and by comparison with landscapes where deer are excluded or managed. In a 2015 study, an ecological team surveyed browsing impacts in Ann Arbor’s Bird Hills Nature Area. They found browsing damage in 80 percent of the tree saplings.

• U-M biologists support Ann Arbor deer cull, Michigan News, Jan 14, 2016A University of Michigan evolutionary biologist says he and many of his U-M colleagues support the city of Ann Arbor’s plans to kill up to 100 deer this winter, calling the cull “a positive step toward ecological sustainability.”U-M botanists have long noted declines in native plants that deer favor, Dick said. In a 2015 study, an ecological team surveyed browsing impacts in Ann Arbor’s Bird Hills Nature Area and found browsing damage in 80 percent of the tree saplings.

• U-M biologist says Ann Arbor deer cull is ‘positive step toward ecological sustainability’, MLive, Jan 14, 2016In a recent guest commentary in Bridge Magazine, Dick said that he and many of his U-M colleagues — including ecologists, botanists, zoologists, restoration ecologists and landscape architects — support Ann Arbor’s plans to cull up to 100 deer this winter, and bringing in sharpshooters to execute the cull is the is the best method for the job.
• Biologists support Ann Arbor deer cull, Phys.org, Jan 15, 2016“The Ann Arbor deer cull may not reverse decades of ecological degradation or prevent all diseases,” he wrote. “But with around 150 tons of buds, leaves and flowers that will be spared this year alone, it is a positive step toward ecological sustainability.”

Ann Arbor deer kill will likely fail, Detroit Free Press, Jan 14, 2016Any decline in deer numbers will be easily offset in the spring, when a small increase in fawning will result in deer bouncing back to their former level.

And reaction to article from Cadillac, Michigan
As a self described wild life biologist, Laura Simon’s disingenous comments about whitetail deer population control in Ann Arbor is both misleading and inaccurate. When an urban whitetail population causes issues with the social/biological habitat carrying capacity of an suburban area, removing sufficient deer numbers by lethal methods is the most effective manner to reduce fawn recrutment rates in the next spring, which keeps the population from expanding geometrically (as deer do) (See Cornell University studies on urban deer).
It’s important to recognize an agenda, and Ms. Simon certainly has one; protect deer at all costs. She may offer rebuttal that contraception is a viable altenative, however this is expensive and haphazard in nature. She may offer that the deer can be “captured and relocated” (which sounds feasible) until you look at the cost of netting deer and the almost 100% mortality rate of deer that are moved out of their home territory.
In the end, if an area has a deer population problem, either from a biological point of habitat destruction (See Kaibab Peninsula or Great Neck Swamp examples) or a social human interaction issue, deer must be managed. Wolves used to do that by killing them. It’s part of the predator/prey process, but since there are no wolves in Ann Arbor, there are no predators. Deer reproduce unchecked. Something has to replace the predator. Man is that “something”. You have to kill deer at some point, otherwise you allow them to breed and destroy their own source of food.
Ms.Simon discusses Wildlife Management 101 as if she really has some knowledge about it. Her letter indicates she doesn’t
• Federal judge rejects motion to halt deer cull in light of pending lawsuit, Michigan Daily, Jan 13, 2016A legal motion aiming to halt the city’s deer cull was shot down by a federal judge after a court hearing Monday afternoon.
• Judge says Ann Arbor’s deer shoot can go ahead, for now, NPR, Jan 11, 2016The hearing did not go well for the plaintiff’s attorney, Barry Powers. Judge Tarnow repeatedly criticized Powers, saying he hadn’t prepared, done his research, listened to the other side – nor did he convince the court, Judge Tarnow said, that anyone’s lives or federal rights were in imminent danger.
• Federal judge denies request to pause Ann Arbor deer cull, MLive, Jan 11, 2016A federal judge has decided not to temporarily halt Ann Arbor’s deer cull while a lawsuit challenging the shooting in city parks plays out.
• Judge Denies Group’s Motion To Temporarily Stop Deer Cull, Jan 11, 2016Ann Arbor wants to use sharpshooters to reduce the number of deer roaming around green spaces. Officials believe the deer population is out of control. The special hunt has the approval of the state Department of Natural Resources.
• Judge: Sharpshooters can begin Ann Arbor deer kill, Detroit Free Press, Jan 11, 2016According to the city’s website, the purpose of the deer management program is “to decrease the deer population in Ann Arbor in order to reduce deer-human negative interactions and support biological diversity in natural areas by not placing one species above another.”
• The Deer Cull: For or Against?, Current, Jan 2016How effective have culls in George Reserve been?
  They have to be regular. The fawn will produce one offspring its first year, and then after that they can produce two to three. So you do have to keep on top of it. There has to be some sustained effort. It’s possible to get the deer down to a smaller amount so the city can try other methods. Right now, they’re not going to work.
• Tensions mount as Ann Arbor deer cull is set to begin, MLive, Jan 4, 2015The city’s stated goal is to reduce the deer population in order to reduce negative deer-human interactions, such as complaints about damage to gardens and landscaping, and support biological diversity in natural areas.
• Q&A: Ann Arbor mayor on what’s ahead for the city in 2016, MLive, Jan 3, 2016
• Group files lawsuit against Ann Arbor in attempt to stop deer shoot, MLive, Jan 2, 2016

2015

2014 and earlier




SE Michigan

• Archery Deer Season Extended for 3 Urban Michigan Counties, USNews, Dec 12, 2017The state Department of Natural Resources is extending archery season until Jan. 31 for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, which together are known as the Urban Deer Management Zone. Officials say the new policy could help cities resolve urban deer conflicts in the heavily populated region. It will be tried for three years.
• Eckert: DNR proposes extended deer season for Metro Detroit, Times Herald, June 1, 2017The DNR has proposed an “urban deer management zone” for Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties. It’s a region with too many deer and not enough hunters. Metro Detroit is the most densely populated part of the state and the most thoroughly developed. The DNR wants always wants hunters to manage deer. In places where hunters can’t or won’t manage deer, agencies have to pay a lot of money to hire sharpshooters, which irritates the taxpayers and winds up the people who believe Bambi speaks English.
• Chronic Wasting Disease found at Mecosta County deer farm, Lansing State Journal, Jan 20, 2017The discovery of chronic wasting disease at a Mecosta County deer farm means state wildlife officials now have to fight the fatal disorder on two fronts. Nine wild deer killed in Ingham and Clinton counties have tested positive for the disease, the DNR said. The mandatory testing zone now includes 17 townships in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties.The deer farm where the infected animals lived will be quarantined and depopulated, state officials said. There also will be testing, fence inspections and audits of all deer farms within a 15-mile radius, as well as testing of free-ranging deer in the area.

• Michigan continues to battle chronic wasting disease, MDNR, Nov 3, 2016Cases of disease fatal to white-tailed deer located in south central Michigan. The discovery of an eighth free-ranging Michigan white-tailed deer with chronic wasting disease this summer was a disappointment to Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife officials.
• Outdoors: TV networks help feed hungry with venison, other wild meats, Detroit Free Press, Oct 29, 2016Tuesday, Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks (Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel and World Fishing Network) and Comcast teamed up at the mission to host a Hunt.Fish.Feed dinner for men, women and families experiencing homelessness and poverty.
• Suspect deer for chronic wasting disease identified in Ingham County, Statewide DNR News, Sept 12, 2016 3.5-year-old buck taken recently in Meridian Township is likely to be the eighth positive and the first discovered since March of this year. The sample is currently being tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, to finalize confirmation. “This latest suspect positive reinforces the notion that the disease is still occurring in Meridian Township and perhaps elsewhere,” said Chad Stewart, DNR deer specialist. “We are counting on hunters to bring their deer in for testing so we have a better understanding about the scope of the disease.”
• New rules to affect deer hunters in mid-Michigan, Lansing State Journal, July 6, 2016The state Department of Natural Resources said hunters in eight more townships will have to submit their deer for testing this fall as it tries to assess the spread of the fatal neurological disease. It also has extended a ban on baiting and feeding deer to Eaton and Ionia counties.At the same time, the agency is doing away with a rule preventing drivers from keeping deer killed on the road in the Core CWD Area. Now, anyone who hits a deer in the 17-township core area will be allowed to keep it as long as they get a salvage tag from the state Department of Natural Resources or a police agency and submit the head for testing, the DNR said.

• Urban Deer Overpopulation and Road Safety, The Patch, April 30, 2016Roughly one out of six insurance claims involves a collision with an animal. The suburban deer population has greatly increased in recent years, and so have the numbers of deer-vehicle crashes (DVCs).
• Michigan DNR steps up chronic wasting monitoring, Great Lakes Echo, April 29, 2016The full extent of the spread of the disease is not yet known, said Chad Stewart, the DNR’s deer management specialist. “So far we’ve found positive samples from Meridian Township in Ingham (County) to Watertown and DeWitt townships in Clinton County.”
• Outdoors: To fight chronic wasting disease among deer, we must act now, Detroit Free Press, April 3, 2016CWD-infected deer have been found in Ingham, Clinton counties, making this problem even more dire. When a deer infected by Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) nibbles a plant, the prion infection in its saliva absorbs into the plant’s roots and into the soil, and it emerges again with new sprouts. Should another deer graze that same trail, it will become infected with the fatal neurological disease. And Eaton County definitely is home to CWD.

Other Southern Michigan

 

Oakland County

• Michigan DNR extends archery deer season in Macomb, Oakland, Wayne counties, Detroit Channel 4, Dec 14, 2017The archery deer hunting season has been extended until Jan. 31, 2018, in Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, which is known as the Urban Deer Management Zone. “This extended season also could be used to help benefit municipalities by using archers as a low-cost first attempt to resolve their urban deer conflicts.”
• Farmington Hills approves ban on feeding deer, Oakland Press, June 13, 2017In an effort to control the deer population, the Farmington Hills City Council voted unanimously Monday, June 12, to make it illegal to feed the animals.
• City of Jackson cancels annual deer cull for 2017, MLink, Feb 1, 2017The program first started in 2008 after an MDNR study showed the deer population in the area was very high, Hoover said. There were also a high number of car crashes due to deer, she added. The city has reduced the number of deer culled in recent years, from 80 to 45. To create a maintenance plan for a deer cull, Hoover will study how various other communities control their deer populations. Prior to 2016, the annual culling saw 583 deer. More than 29,000 pounds of meat from the cull was distributed to area food pantries.
• Deer in Rochester Hills. YouTube, Jan 1, 2017Watch the video
• Oakland County, Rochester Hills lead southeast Michigan in deer crashes, WXYZ, Oct 12, 2016The Michigan DNR does estimate the deer herd to be 1.75 million this year. In Oakland County, there were 1,873 crashes, more than 800 crashes higher than any other county in the area. Washtenaw County came in second with 1,062 crashes.
• Suspect deer for chronic wasting disease identified in Ingham County, Statewide DNR News, Sept 12, 2016 3.5-year-old buck taken recently in Meridian Township is likely to be the eighth positive and the first discovered since March of this year. The sample is currently being tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, to finalize confirmation. “This latest suspect positive reinforces the notion that the disease is still occurring in Meridian Township and perhaps elsewhere,” said Chad Stewart, DNR deer specialist. “We are counting on hunters to bring their deer in for testing so we have a better understanding about the scope of the disease.”
• Royal Oak considers management of deer in cemetery, Detroit News, June 12, 2016Officials are expected to discuss how to best manage about 30 deer roaming through a cemetery near the downtown area.
• New tick species spreading in Michigan, ClickOnDetroit.com, May 10, 2016The Lone Star Tick, a relatively new tick, is a new addition to Michigan’s tick population. The tick spreads Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Tularemia and can cause tick paralysis. According to Rose Pest Solutions, the tick’s increased activity is likely due to the resurgence in the white-tailed deer and wild turkey.
• Survey: Rochester Hills deer population down, Oakland Press, Sept 16, 2015
  Results of an aerial survey show the city’s deer population may have declined by nearly 20 percent over 2014. Results from a study by the Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan show there were more than 170 car-deer crashes last year, 97 percent of which resulting in only property damage. There were no severe injuries or fatalities as a result of the crashes.

  Note: There is no indication of what lead to the “decrease in population”: accidents, sickness, bad winter, poor count…

 

Wayne

• Rescued fawn gets splints to correct leg deformities, MLive, June 14, 2017A fawn with deformed front legs received braces from Help 4 Wildlife, a Washtenaw County wild animal rescue organization, and he’ll be returned to the wild when he’s ready.
• Southfield City Council approves deer monitoring service, C&G News Southfield, May 10, 2017Nature Write will monitor the deer at 10 sites throughout the city over a span of one year, according to council documents. According to council documents, there is currently an average of one deer-related car accident per week in Southfield, and city leaders have been working on a plan for several months to try to combat the issue.
• Determined Deer Crashes Through Glass Doors Of Michigan Beauty Supply Store (VIDEO), Huffington Post, Nov 28, 2016A determined deer created a few moments of terror — and hilarity — when the animal hurled itself through the glass doors of a beauty supply store in Southfield, Mich.
• Humbug Marsh deer overpopulation results in limited archery hunting, Voice of Down River, Aug 5, 2016A limited number of archery-only hunting permits are available for 10 antlerless deer hunts within the Humbug Marsh Unit of the refuge. Harvest is limited to antlerless deer only. Selected applicants will be assigned a refuge installed ground-hunting blind.
• Coyote attack in Canton kills family dog, Detroit Free Press, March 22, 2016A family dog has died after being attacked by a coyote in Canton. The release says similar attacks on family dogs have happened elsewhere in metro Detroit.”Coyote sightings have been prevalent across metro Detroit for several years, and unfortunately similar attacks to family dogs have recently been reported in Grosse Ile and Shelby Township,” the release said.

 

Livingston County

• Officials: Lyme disease case confirmed in Michigan, WZZM13.com, May 13, 2017LIVINGSTON COUNTY, MICH. – Livingston County health officials say a deer tick carrying Lyme disease was discovered by a county resident last week, and they are warning residents to take steps to prevent tick bites. “It’s much safer for everyone to assume that it is in every part of the county, especially because the ticks this year are going to be worse than last year. The environmental conditions over winter made it really ideal for ticks,” Moxlow said.

 

Genesee County

 

Macomb County

• Two coyotes crash through window of suburban Detroit home, MLive, Jan 18, 2017While there have been suspicions that coyotes might be responsible for a couple outdoor cats that have come up missing, Couch said there was never any proof. Macomb County Animal Control Chief Jeff Randazzo said there is typically an uptick in coyote sightings this time of year. January through March is mating season and a time when they’re more active.

Ingham/Lansing/East Lansing

• EL prepares to analyze latest deer data , WKAR, Nov 22, 2016In East Lansing, though, there’s a different perspective. Municipal employees and some volunteers have been busy this month counting the number of deer in the city. The data helps manage the deer population and control the environmental impact of deer.
• Michigan expands deer chronic wasting disease test zone, Detroit Free Press, May 20, 2016The area has been enlarged from nine townships to 17 in Clinton, Eaton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties. Successful hunters in the area will be required to take their deer to a DNR check station for testing.
• Deer Cull Talks Continue, EastLansingInfo.org, Feb 23, 2016East Lansing’s City Council is set tonight to continue discussion of a possible deer cull in two City parks. In response to questions from Council members, City staff has prepared answers to questions about deer sterilization, whether organized kills will really reduce local populations, and whether it is possible to put reflectors on deer to reduce deer-car accidents. Tonight’s meeting could see a vote on an ordinance that would allow the culls to occur.
• Outdoors: To fight chronic wasting disease among deer, we must act now, Detroit Free Press, April 3, 2016When a deer infected by Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) nibbles a plant, the prion infection in its saliva absorbs into the plant’s roots and into the soil, and it emerges again with new sprouts. Should another deer graze that same trail, it will become infected with the fatal neurological disease. And Eaton County definitely is home to CWD. With the recent discovery of two more deer infected with CWD in Ingham and Clinton counties, Michigan faces what certainly will become a generational battle, destined to turn our deer management topsy-turvy.“Studies show that once it gets to 10% of the population, it escalates to 50% very quickly,” Mason said. “Then the population declines fairly rapidly and becomes noticeable. We need to act now.”
• Michigan confirms new CWD-positive findings; total is now seven deer, Michigan DNR Bulletin, March 18, 2016One of the newly confirmed CWD-positive deer is a 9-month-old male from Meridian Township (Ingham County), and the other is a 2 ¾-year-old female from Watertown Township (Clinton County).
  The intensive removal of deer in these areas has a two-part benefit. One, it helps us understand prevalence rates and spread so we can make informed decisions on disease management moving forward; and two, by removing individual deer around areas with known disease occurrence, it reduces the potential for spread and accumulation in our deer herd, which has benefits not only locally, but on the periphery of the management zone as well.

 

Jackson

• Deer smashes through Jackson mall window, loiters in store for 20 minutes, MLive, Oct 27, 2017JACKSON, MI – A wayward deer smashed through a window Friday morning at Jackson Crossing mall and hung out in a store for more than 20 minutes before leaving.
• Jackson Sheriff: Deputies respond to to five car vs. deer crashes, MLive, Oct 20, 2017The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reports the five deer vs car crashes for Thursday, Oct. 19 and Friday, Oct. 20.
• Roads closed around Ella Sharp Park this weekend for deer cull, WILX10.com, Feb 4, 2016Sharpshooters from Aaron’s Nuisance Animal Control will cull deer in and around the park starting Friday afternoon through Sunday. In its ninth year, animal control officers have culled the deer population around Ella Sharp Park. This year, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources allowed the city to cull 45 deer, down 15 from last year and the year before.

 

Livingston

 

Midland

 

Saginaw

• Deer runs amok in furniture store, causes $50K in damage, Mlive, July 27, 2017A young adult doe which broke through a furniture store window Thursday morning, July 27, and became trapped within caused an estimated $50,000 worth of damage due to broken and bloodied merchandise, store owners said. The roughly three-hour ordeal ended with Department of Natural Resources officers tranquilizing the deer and transporting it from Godwin’s Furniture & Mattress, 6225 State, for evaluation.
• Man dies in Saginaw County motorcycle-deer crash, Detroit Free Press, Aug 17, 2014

 

Kalamazoo

• Michigan Biggby closed after deer smashes through front window, MLive, Oct 27, 2017KALAMAZOO, MI – A Michigan coffee shop is closed after a deer smashed through its window and wreaked havoc on the interior. Employees described the impact as sounding like a gunshot, Cousins said. Once inside, the deer entered the lobby and eventually jumped the cash register counter before making its way to the back of house and collapsing.
• Portage Wants To Control Huge Deer Population, WMUK.com, April 13, 2016The City of Portage is trying to decide what to do about its deer problem. The Portage Environmental Board will hold a public meeting about the issue Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Portage City Hall. The meeting will include a presentation by a Kalamazoo Christian High School class.
• Portage studying what to do about rising deer population, MLive, March 17, 2016They found 957 tracks, and using a formula provided by the DNR estimated the deer herd at about 2,400. They found the heaviest density of deer – called areas of conflict.The problems in Portage have increased, the students’ survey concludes, because Portage has a lot of open land, including 17 parks and the Gourdneck State Game Area; people are feeding the deer; and Portage does not allow hunting in the city other than the state-controlled game area, which results in an unmanaged deer population.

 

Kent

• Woman dies after deer ricochets off car, strikes hers, Detroit Free Press, Nov 21, 2017Authorities say a western Michigan woman died after a car hit a deer, it flew into the air and struck the windshield of her vehicle.
• Teen killed in crash involving deer identified by officials, MLink, Nov 15, 2017Elana Nhu Tran, 18, of Gaines Township, died at the scene of the crash after a deer struck the windshield of her 1994 Lexus, causing her to lose control and skid into another vehicle before the Lexus came to rest on its roof.
• Q&A: 13 chronic wasting disease questions answered by DNR, MLive, Nov 1, 2017Are there any signs that you can look for? The clinical signs of CWD include: Emaciation, lack of coordination, dropping head/ears, excessive drooling, excessive drinking, excessive urination, and dull or ragged hair. Straka said also to keep in mind CWD’s prolonged incubation period, which is an average of 18 months.
• Woman with tickborne Lyme disease now warning others, WoodTV.com, May 26, 2017Health officials say if you find a tick on your body, remove it quickly. The best method is slip tweezers, grasp the tick firmly and as close to the skin as possible and pull it off in a steady motion. Cleanse the area with antiseptic. Don’t use peppermint oil or a flame, which can irritate the tick and possible cause it to regurgitate whatever disease it has into you.

 

Allegan

 

Hillsdale

• Crews respond to deer vs. bike accident on U.S. 12, Hillsdale Daily News, April 15, 2016 Shortly after 3 p.m. on April 15, emergency crews from the Michigan State Police, Jonesville Fire Department and Reading Emergency Unit responded to a report of a motorcyclist striking a deer on U.S. 12 near Half Moon Lake Road. The motorcyclist appeared to have been travelling eastbound on U.S. 12 when she came in contact with the deer, killing the deer. The woman suffered serious injuries and was transported by REU to Hillsdale Hospital for treatment.

 

Ottawa

• Deer runs through western Michigan medical office, Detroit Free Press, Oct 14, 2017Medical assistant Marcia Jones tells the Grand Haven Tribune she was preparing to give a 61-year-old woman a flu shot when the deer came crashing through a window. Jones says she left the examining room and the buck followed her out.
• DNR approves plans for deer population control in Grand Haven, Grand Haven Tribune, March 01, 2017The city’s permit application to the DNR noted an increase in deer/car crashes, citizen complaints and cases of Lyme disease in Ottawa County, as well as concern for forest regeneration due to damage from deer. The application also noted that an estimated 30 deer per square mile caused the damage.
• Deer cull approved by Grand Haven city council, WZZM, Nov 22, 2016The approved resolution cites an increase in the numbers of car/deer crashes, the current number (30) of deer per square mile exceeds the level established by the 2008 Urban Deer Management Plan of 28, eight reported human Lyme disease cases in Ottawa County exceeds the threshold of six cases in a prior year, and overgrazing on dunes has degraded the environment and spread invasive species as reasons for a cull.
• 70-plus petition signatures collected toward Grand Haven deer cull, WZZM Grand Haven, March 29, 2016 In Grand Haven, there’s a new call for action to manage the city’s deer population. This month, organizers turned in dozens of petition signatures in support of a deer cull. The same issue caused a controversy back in 2009, when the city hired sharp shooters to kill the deer.

 

Waterford Twp.

 

Barry County

For more Michigan stories

— around the state, check out Michigan under the Press/News By State link.
Also check out 2016-17, 2015 and 2014 and earlier links