Jbatey1, the depredation permits are not about managing deer populations. They’re about a landowner or farmer having the right to protect a cash crop from damages that affect his/her livelihood. Currently speaking, there’s not a better system than what is in place in my opinion. The technical assistance biologist with the DCNR conducts an on site inspection to document damage, how much damage, what other measures have been taken to minimize damage, and only issues permits for a specified time and a specified amount of deer. If they kill that specified amount and are still experiencing documented damage another permit may be issued. They can’t just kill unlimited deer and I am almost certain that any farmer claiming to have killed a very high amount is typically far from true. They are required to submit what they kill and the majority never do kill the total number allowed on their permit. They are also given information about the DMAP program and encouraged to allow hunting during regular season to minimize damage. I don’t think you could do it any better. It’s not as simple as them calling and saying there’s a problem and the state giving them free reign. It’s a process with documentation and checks and balances. If a farmer steps out of the conditions of the permit it can be pulled. The bottom line is this, case law has already been established, and the courts have decided the landowners have a right to protect their crops. So the state basically has to issue the permits, but do have the regulatory authority as a game and fish agency, to monitor the way it is administered.
If hunters have property nearby my recommendation would be to talk to the farmer and see if there’s a way they can help him achieve lowering the deer numbers to a level he’s happy with so he’s not shooting as many in season. I can’t tell you how many of them told me this, “I let “x” hunt the place and they tell me every year they’ll kill a few does, but they never do, so I have to shoot them in summer when my beans are coming up”. I bet you money if someone they let hunt would just shoot a few in deer season most of them would feel better. It’s more mental, than actual, in some cases. 😉
