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White-Tailed Deer Management Task Force
 
 White-Tailed Deer Task Force Presentation (July 11) (2.2MB)

Draft Plan | Recommendation to Mayor and Council

The City's White-Tailed Deer Management Task Force is currently working to review and revise the draft plan and policy (link to draft plan) that was presented to the Mayor and Council in July. Since then, public comments were accepted through Sept. 9.

Once the task force has completed its review, the draft plan will go back to the Mayor and Council for further discussion. The Mayor and Council will receive any revisions to the draft plan and policy, as well as all public comments that were submitted.

The City formed a White-Tailed Deer Management Task Force, whose purpose was to update the current White-Tailed Deer Management Policy, study and analyze white-tailed deer population data and study the impacts, positive and negative, of this wildlife population on the Rockville community.

The study included research and analysis of the methods and practices used to manage a deer population. The task force used this information to generate proposals to update the City's White-Tailed Deer Management Policy and to produce specific recommendations to the Mayor and Council.

Task Force Objectives:

• The task force studied local management plans, including Montgomery County and Howard County, as well as available and current pertinent information from Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
   
• The task force evaluated local and State of Maryland data on deer populations, and determined what further research or data was needed to assess current conditions in Rockville. If further data was needed, the task force established the type of data needed and its collection process and incorporated the data into its analysis.
   
• The task force analyzed all impacts associated with deer population and determined if any actions or new management practices are warranted. If new management practices were determined to be warranted, the task force studied and developed recommendations to implement proven, local control and management methods and measures ("Best Management Practices").
   
• Based on the analysis, the task force developed recommendations for a comprehensive management plan, with the overall goal of maintaining a population of white-tailed deer at a level that is ecologically sound and socially acceptable to most Rockville residents. The management plan included the process for ongoing data collection, and associated evaluation and recommendation methods.
   
• The task force will assist with the public process of adopting a management plan. The plan will replace any current policies and be carried out by the City's Recreation and Parks Department with cooperation from the Police Department/Neighborhood Services Division (Animal Control) and any other necessary departments and divisions.
   
• The task force worked with the City's Communication Team to provide white-tailed deer educational materials and information to the general public.
   
• The task force will meet biannually to evaluate the effectiveness of the ongoing management plan and to make recommendations for future adjustments.

Task Force/Advisory Members
 
Marsha Douma, City of Rockville Recreation and Park Advisory Board
Kate Savage, City of Rockville Recreation and Park Advisory Board
Rob Gibbs, Natural Resource Manager, M-NCPPC
Christine Davidson McCord, Environment Commission
George Timco, Assistant Deer Project Leader, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Justin Joseph Bedard, resident
Stuart Hagen, resident
Jackie Raiford, resident
Sherry L. Stuesse, resident
Mathew von Hendy, resident
JoAnn Grbach, Communication Division, City of Rockville
Mark Kibiloski, Parks and Facilities Division, City of Rockville
Jake Marren, Environmental Management Division, City of Rockville
Audra Lew, resident
Steve Mader, Parks and Facilities Division, City of Rockville
Freddie Mowell, Neighborhood Services Division, City of Rockville

If you are interested in serving on the task force, complete and submit the Expression of Interest Form.

Meeting Schedule (Tentative)

Additional Information

• White-Tailed Deer Task Force Presentation (2010)

Deer Management Information

• Montgomery County Deer Management Program
• Maryland White-Tailed Deer Plan
• Lyme Disease
• Community-Based Deer Management: A Practitioners' Guide
• Montgomery County Deer Management Program
• Howard County Deer Management Program
• Survey: Deer and Deer Management in Howard County, Maryland
• Howard County Department Of Recreation And Parks Comprehensive Deer Management Plan
• Montgomery County, Maryland Deer Management Program Deer Impact Data Collection and Results 1996 - 2007
• An Evaluation of Deer Management Options (Northeast Deer Technical Committee)

Deer-Vehicle Information

• Thinking Outside The Marketplace: A Biologically Based Approach To Reducing Deer-Vehicle Collisions
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: Deer-Vehicle Collision Report
• Evaluation of Wildlife Warning Reflectors for Altering White-Tailed Deer Behavior Along Roadways
• Methods to Reduce Traffic Crashes Involving Deer: What Works and What Does Not
• Effectiveness of Temporary Warning Signs in Reducing Deer-Vehicle Collisions during Mule Deer Migrations