Deer Culling Underway On Fire Island, Floyd Estate Lands

PATCHOGUE, NY — A deer culling is underway as part of the White-tailed Deer Management Plan on Fire Island National Seashore's public land and the William Floyd Estate, and it will run through February, the National Parks Service said.

The parks service, which is charged with maintaining the balance of the lands' ecosystem, has hired wildlife professionals to carry out the removal operations and areas of the park will be closed when operations are underway for the public’s safety, according to the service.

The plan was developed to address the overabundance of deer damaging plants and native plant species, which prevents forest and ecosystem regeneration, and reduces available habitat for birds and other wildlife, the service said.

The plan, which was approved in April 2016, contains an integrated deer management strategy to achieve a deer density goal of 20 to 25 deer per square mile and to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.

The management strategy includes:
• Expanded education and outreach
• Increased deer and vegetation monitoring and research
• Fencing
• Deer population reduction and maintenance through removal operations; a public hunt, only within the Fire Island Wilderness; and fertility control, should a federally-approved agent become available and meet the established criteria laid out in the plan.

More information about deer management efforts, including outreach and education, frequently asked questions, and research articles can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/fiis/learn...