Deer Baseline Survey

A wildlife management consultant company is assisting the Town with completing a baseline survey of deer presence and abundance.

Over the last year, the Town of Yarmouth's Deer Management Working Group has been working on developing a Deer Management Strategy. To help assist moving plans forward, a wildlife management consultant company is assisting the Town with completing a baseline survey of deer presence and abundance in deer habitat areas in, and near, the Town of Yarmouth. This survey will provide the Town of Yarmouth and Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (NSDNRR) with a reference point of deer densities in deer habitat in the Town in 2024. The survey involves taking a deer pellet (droppings) inventory that will allow a comparative indicator of deer population density trend over the next few years. This baseline survey will also allow a measure of effectiveness of any population management actions which the Town may decide to take in consultation with NSDNRR wildlife management staff.

The team members of the consultant company will be conducting the survey in, and near the town, in a number of locations. Work will be underway later today (Monday, April 8th) and be carried out in 2-3 stints until early May.

Here is some additional information regarding this baseline survey. The Town of Yarmouth is well aware that there is an overabundance of deer, and that those deer can be found literally anywhere in town. That is why the Deer Management Working Group was created. The group has been working in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables (NSDRR), and has been looking closely at ALL population management options. As a requirement to move forward toward any viable management option, this pellet inventory must be undertaken. It is a requirement that any interaction with deer must be sanctioned by the NSDRR, and collecting this data is part of the process that needs to be followed.

You can find more information around the baseline survey decision from the meeting minutes and video of the March 12th special council meeting here: https://pub-townofyarmouth.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=7c0c2f75-0517-4d18-8bab-f26c604dbc18&lang=English&Agenda=PostMinutes&Item=11&Tab=attachments

n excellent Saltwire article summarizing the deer population situation, and the public information session held last fall to discuss various management options, can be found here: https://www.pressreader.com/canada/tri-county-vanguard/20231115/281556590552227

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