May 21, 2016
It’s fawn season, and there are three important things to remember.
1. When you see a deer crossing the road, expect that one, two or even three fawns will likely follow. Stop and wait before proceeding slowly. Try to warn oncoming traffic by flashing your headlights or using hand signals.
Speed is the most common factor in wildlife-vehicle collisions. In areas where you know deer to be, or when you see a sign indicating deer are in that area:
- SLOW DOWN!
- Scan ahead, and side-to-side.
- If you see one deer cross the road, expect more to follow.
- Watch for deer coming out from between parked cars, especially by golf courses and green spaces.
2. If you’re walking your dog and see a doe, assume there is at least one fawn nearby. Please respect the doe’s maternal instincts. She’s a wild animal protecting her young and she may see your dog as a potential predator. Consider turning around and going another route with your dog. Or cross the street giving the doe a wide berth and proceed with caution, keeping your eye on the doe’s body language. And be aware that the presence of your dog might cause a deer to bolt into oncoming traffic.
3. If you see a fawn, leave it alone! Every year healthy fawns are mistakenly thought to be orphaned, but the mother deer leaves her baby alone for periods of time and will return for the fawn. To find out what you should and shouldn’t do if you find a baby deer, check out these tips from Wild Arc.
This year’s “Caution – Expect Deer” lawn sign blitz starts this week – if you’d like a sign, please email us.
Mar 29, 2016
The UWSS expanded on its five-point program for deer management in Oak Bay at a Committee of the Whole meeting on March 21, 2016. The long-term best practices plan includes a values-based survey of Oak Bay residents, which would provide important information on issues and attitudes in the community concerning deer.
It is important to note that this values-based survey has already been developed by independent experts in this field and would be administered and interpreted by independent experts. The UWSS proposed that the survey be run in partnership with the municipality and university scientists. Information from a values-based survey would provide important information that would guide our elected representatives in making informed decisions on deer management.
The UWSS has, from the beginning, advocated for a scientific approach to deer management, and that includes collecting information on the values of the community and the number of deer in our municipality.
For the past year, the UWSS has advocated for and offered assistance with public education, deer counts to estimate population trends, and an immuno-contraception plan that could potentially see a reduction in the birth of fawns as early as spring of 2017.
This is a scientifically sound, fiscally responsible and humane deer management plan and is consistent with provincial advice. Please see our presentation to Council here, including our proposed budget.
The survey is a first step in engaging the community as a whole and begins where deer management should – at the beginning. Next steps could include public education based on information collected from the survey and deer counts to establish population trends and movements. Read the Esquimalt media release.
