Landowner deer reduction options?

[Clumber]

I have a hellofatime sloshing my way through WDFW rules and regs, I am sure it is just me and my still being new to all this...  I have a friend who has been getting some expensive deer damage to her property and to her neighbors' as well.  Unfortunately the GMU her property lives in does not have a late season archery option.  She wants to know if she has the option of requesting a nuisance tag sort of thing that would open her land to archers during late season.  She would like to have a few of them killed - the other day several got into her alfalfa hay tent eating several hundreds of $ worth of hay.  The tent was less than 3 feet from her back door, and directly adjacent to her horses' stalls.  The things are pretty brazen, eh? Neighbors have had them start to bust open greenhouses - and these are not little plastic greenhouses, these are true outbuildings and the deer are breaking into them. (Smart deer - the plants in there do, indeed, look yummy!)

During early season I was able to scare the beejeezus out of several deer, and another friend of ours has a tag for modern season and is likely to kill one for her, but she'd really like to have me come back for late season as well... and damn str8 do I want to!     The only problem I ran into (aside from my novice-issue of determining range... I tickled the belly of one deer with the fletching of my arrow... dangit...) was that they are WAY nocturnal during early season.  Am thinking they might be more willing to be moving around during hunting hours closer to the rut... when her GMU is closed to archery.

Can someone direct me where to look for this info for her?  I found where she can apply to be reimbursed, and I have found mention of applying for a kill permit... but not where that kill permit is located or anything about how it applies.  She doesn't really want to be reimbursed as she thinks that is a stupid way to spend state dollars.  She'd rather have a hunter pay for a tag and then get to kill them.

Much thanks!  (And I will tell the belly-tickling story later on with a couple other close call stories I have.  Hoping to have more after late-season so will tell all in one posting)

~ Tracy

[Bob33]

I would suggest contacting the local WDFW enforcement officer. He should be able to direct her.

[villageidiot]

Several yrs. ago I counted 67 deer run out of my hay barn when I opened the door.  They had walked up the snow berm from the outside and jumped over the 10 foot tall walls and couldn't get out because I had the doors closed to keep them out. This went on for many days.   Contacted the local game agent and he had to go through his superior Sargent to get permission.  They wouldn't give me any tags to takecare of the deer in the barn but gave me 5 depredation t ags to pass out the next season.  The deer were in the barn in December and I got tags for the next Sept.    They wouldn't give me any deer food or any money for my hay.  That leaves one to either become a meek whimp and take their answer and lose many tons of hay to the deer or take the matter in your own hands and if you get caught then you are a worthless poacher, skumbag.  I have noticed many on this board condem poachers to no end without knowing the facts.    If you have a good game warden he might help you out but if he's looking to put another strip on his suit he won't help you and will watch you like a hawk so he can score another stripe when you deal with the problem.     Good Luck.

[bobcat]

If it's the unit that's open for late muzzleloader I might be able to help.   

[Hangfire]

There are lots of ways to keep deer out of things. I spray my large garden and fruit trees about 1 time a month with 6 eggs per gallon of water. They do not like the smell of eggs. It is not a soaking spray just a mist. A fence around a hay stack works.

 Call the regional office and talk to them. There are lots of options.

[wapiti hunter2]

If it's the unit that's open for late muzzleloader I might be able to help.   

Me too.

Several yrs. ago I counted 67 deer run out of my hay barn when I opened the door.  They had walked up the snow berm from the outside and jumped over the 10 foot tall walls and couldn't get out because I had the doors closed to keep them out. This went on for many days.   Contacted the local game agent and he had to go through his superior Sargent to get permission.  They wouldn't give me any tags to takecare of the deer in the barn but gave me 5 depredation t ags to pass out the next season.  The deer were in the barn in December and I got tags for the next Sept.    They wouldn't give me any deer food or any money for my hay.  That leaves one to either become a meek whimp and take their answer and lose many tons of hay to the deer or take the matter in your own hands and if you get caught then you are a worthless poacher, skumbag.  I have noticed many on this board condem poachers to no end without knowing the facts.    If you have a good game warden he might help you out but if he's looking to put another strip on his suit he won't help you and will watch you like a hawk so he can score another stripe when you deal with the problem.     Good Luck.

That's why the Farm stores sell fencing.  Just because you don't want to spend the money to upgrade your storage facility doesn't give you the right to poach. There are always other options.  I sympathize though.  They should have done something for your immediate situation.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Click on this... http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/damage/

[csaaphill]

not sure but if you have no trespassing signs all over might put up  a feel free to hunt sign or two if this is an area that hunting would be allowed that is.
Also your right but I thought farmers land owners could kill deer to stop preditation of thier harvest I see piles or have seen piles of deer near a strip of land I have hunted and My guess is that the land owner killed em all.
My second issue is if this stuff does happen why is it always some other farmer who says it doens't and doesnt' allow for hunting but go figure.

[yelp]

not sure but if you have no trespassing signs all over might put up  a feel free to hunt sign or two if this is an area that hunting would be allowed that is.
Also your right but I thought farmers land owners could kill deer to stop preditation of thier harvest I see piles or have seen piles of deer near a strip of land I have hunted and My guess is that the land owner killed em all.
My second issue is if this stuff does happen why is it always some other farmer who says it doens't and doesnt' allow for hunting but go figure.

I don't believe you can just shoot deer if they are in the act of depredation..usually only if authorized by WDFW.  Depredation permits are given out to landowners who have frequent problems that have done everything that has been asked of them to reduce the attraction.  For example putting up fence, hazing, allowing hunting during seasons, etc..Most permitis can be given out to hunters with unused deer tags..i believe.  Kill permits have the same authority but normally the landowner can shoot them.  Most of the meat is normally donated to local food bank if possible.  But one idea behind these permits is to gut and/or leave carcass near site to allow predators (coyotes) to come in feed and run off other deer.  This however can be difficult if you stock feeds in the same area..each problem is specific. 

Squeaky wheel gets the grease..call biologists, enforcement officers, neighbors, etc.. get more permits issued during seasons.  We have several deer permits that are specifically set up to reduce damage to orchards..those were set after the complaints of several landowners..Crop damage is another monster to discuss.  Check out the link posted above..it may help you but don't hold your breath.  I suggest you allow as much hunting as you can..in the winter months have hunters come in and hunt coyotes..but it sounds like you have lots of deer in the area..I would start complaining. 

Remember though to provide information on how you as the landowner have made an effort to reduce deer problems.  THat is the first step. I would have lots of numbers when talking with the WDFW about the problem..(number of hunters and days hunted, cost of damage (not only what whats eaten or destroyed but cost of replacement and at the at time of year), cost of preventative measures..like fencing or tarps, personal costs..days you spent on this.....The reason for keeping stats is to seperate you from other landowners who do the minimum.   

[superdown]

If it's the unit that's open for late muzzleloader I might be able to help.  

Me too






Me three