Garret Mountain's Deer Herd to be Culled by Bow Hunters

Passaic County Freeholders have an agreement with the United Bow Hunters of New Jersey to reduce the population of the deer herd on Garret Mountain. A decade plus of over-browsing by the deer, have caused the forest in Garret Mountain Reservation and Rifle Camp Park to be severely damaged. Read about it here Garret Mountain’s big deer herd to be culled by bow hunters . New Jersey Audubon's evaluation of Garret Mountain says, "One of the greatest threats the park faces comes from its extremely dense white-tailed deer population. This problem is more recent in the Garret Mountain IBA than in other urban parks in NJ, and therefore more easily reversible. However, the damage being inflicted by extensive browsing of deer is severe and must be remedied before the site becomes permanently damaged. Examples of native understory plants can still be seen, however the impacts of white-tailed deer and their systematic destruction of this important component of the forest is evident." Read their report here Important Bird and Birding Areas- Garret Mountain .
Passaic County Parks Dept. has stopped the feeding of deer on Garret Mountain. Feeding the deer herd bread contributed to at least 20 deaths last year, mostly young deer. 18 young deer were found dead in the parks on the mountain. Many more died outside the park. Problems start because feeding congregate deer into unnaturally high densities. As many as 75 deer were seen along the road in Rifle Camp Park feeding on bread. These high deer densities can spread diseases among deer. Feeding can cause aggression in the herd, wasting deer's vital energy reserves and leading to injury or death; as well as using up critical fat reserves as deer expend energy traveling to and from the feed site. Feeding can deny access to food for subordinate deer and fawns.