DNR Discusses Sika Deer in Dorchester

(CAMBRIDGE, Md) – Sika Deer have been causing problems for farmers across Dorchester County, including crop losses for one farmer of twenty five thousand dollars profit.

We caught up with with the Department of Natural Resources about this Sika Deer problem.

Brian Eyler, the DNR’s Associate Director says their models put the number of Sika Deer at roughly 15 thousand across the Eastern Shore.

With a potential myriad of problems leading to them causing havoc for local farmers and destroying their crops.

Eyler tells us, “It could be something happening. In that area, possibly that you know, that could be could be resulting in more pressure. It could also just be environmental conditions, weather conditions. You know, they can they can play into crops in the timing of crops and that can make them more or less susceptible to deer pressure.”

Brian also says one of the best methods for making sure Sika Deer aren’t causing problems is hunting them, and he expects an increase in hunters when the season starts up later this year.

“So we do have a lot of, you know, a lot of out-of-state hunters that come in to hunt Sika Deer and a lot of local hunters as well that hunt Sika Deer. So I would expect in September that we’ll have as many or more, you know, hunters out there on the landscape. They just need to get access to the properties to be able to hunt and to help control control these animals,” says Eyler.

The hunting season runs from September through January, with the permit for Maryland residents being $10.