The Bureau of Wildlife Management is responsible for the development and maintenance of a productive, diversified wildlife resource and the habitat on which it depends. This is accomplished through scientifically sound management and research programs which provide economic, aesthetic, and recreational benefits for the citizens of New Jersey.

One of the bureau’s many challenges is balancing use of the land with wildlife needs. As development continues and habitat is lost, this becomes an increasingly complex and formidable task.

Deer Management

At least 150,000 deer occupy the state’s 4,734 square miles of deer range prior to the start of the deer season. Population densities range from less than 10 to more than 70 deer per square mile.

Management efforts fall mainly into two categories: 1) collecting information about deer populations, their health, and impacts on people and ecosystems and, 2) the use of that information to develop, revise and implement programs to manage deer in a manner that best serves the public interest. The goals of deer management are to provide for healthy populations on suitable habitat, maintain population densities compatible with people’s activities (farming, gardening, driving), and maximize the recreational and economic benefits derived from this renewable natural resource.

Cooperative deer management programs continued with the Atlantic, Hunterdon, Morris and Union County Park Systems, Fort Dix Military Reservation, Earle Naval Weapons Station , Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Center, the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center, Picatinny Arsenal, Cape May National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Edwin B. Forsythe NWR, Great Swamp NWR, Supawna Meadows NWR, Wallkill River NWR, Round Valley Recreation Area, Monmouth Battlefield State Park and Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation. A cooperative program with the Division of Parks and Forestry was implemented at High Point State Park.

The Community-Based Deer Management Program, a cooperative agreement between the Division and local government agencies allowing for the development of alternative deer population control measures, was continued at the Watchung Reservation in Union County. The county is proceeding with a five-year program to reduce deer density. The Morris County Park Commission has also utilized the program.

A total of 59,551 deer were reported harvested during the 1997-98 deer seasons, the second largest harvest on record. Season records were established in the Permit Muzzleloader and Permit Shotgun seasons. Factors contributing to the exceptional harvest include the following: population management strategies of herd reduction on two-thirds of the State’s deer range; expansion of the “Bonus Deer Tag” program during the Fall Bow season; additional days of Permit Shotgun hunting in January; allowing the Winter Bow season to run concurrently with the Permit Muzzleloader and Permit Shotgun seasons; and generally good weather throughout the six deer seasons. The total harvest included 32,340 antlerless deer, a new record. The antlerless harvest is vital to reducing deer populations. Considerable progress has been made during the past several years to reduce deer herds that have been inflicting damage on agricultural crops, reducing bio-diversity and creating traffic hazards.

The High Point State Park deer management effort utilized an eleven-day hunt during November to reduce deer overpopulation. Poor regeneration of Atlantic white cedar trees and high winter deer mortalities in the Kuser Natural Area accentuated the need for population control in the park. The cull was very successful with a total of 305 deer removed, including 127 antlered male deer and 178 antlerless deer.

Upland Wildlife and Furbearer Research

Black bear winter den work was performed on 8 females and their newborn cubs. One thousand thirteen sightings were reported and 301 monetary damage complaints were investigated. Fifty-four black bear mortalities were recorded, compared to 32 in 1997, 31 in 1996 and 19 in 1995. Nine of the mortalities were tagged bears legally harvested in New York or Pennsylvania. Two tagged bears were struck and killed by vehicles in New York. Of the 43 mortalities occurring in New Jersey, 39 were vehicle kills, one was illegally killed, one was euthanized, one was shot by a park ranger after it displayed extremely aggressive behavior, and one died of unknown causes.

Firearm hunters and trappers were surveyed in 1997-98 to estimate harvest of upland wildlife and furbearer species. The value of fur harvested was estimated to be $369,088. Annual surveys of woodcock and mourning dove were conducted in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Neither survey showed any significant change in numbers.

The eastern coyote continues to increase its distribution and numbers. Twenty-four sightings were reported and 45 mortalities were investigated. Cause of death was determined for 44 of the 45 moralities as follows: vehicle kill (24), trapping (7), hunting (11), unknown causes (1) and destroyed due to disease (2). Mortalities were reported from Atlantic (2), Morris (11), Warren (7), Sussex (9), Hunterdon (4), Somerset (4), Cumberland (5), Passaic (1), Middlesex (1) and Bergen (1) counties. Sightings were reported from 12 counties including the above and Mercer and Ocean counties. The second coyote season was held; a total of 998 coyote permits were issued and 11 coyotes were harvested.

Wild Turkey Restoration

Wild turkeys continue to thrive throughout much of the Garden State since re-introduction efforts began in 1977. The large game birds are now found in 20 counties and with the population estimated to number 14,000 in the fall of 1997. Trap and transfer operations are continuing with the goal of completing restoration of the species by the year 2000. No wild turkeys were captured in the winter of 1997-98 because of mild weather conditions and other demands on project staff.

An estimated ten thousand people hunt wild turkeys in New Jersey. Spring turkey hunting generated an estimated 2.5 million dollars in commerce. Expenditures were for food, lodging, gasoline and equipment. Survey results indicate that the average turkey hunter is well-educated, male, forty years of age and has five years of turkey hunting experience.

Turkey hunters enjoyed the first fall hunting season in nearly a century in December, 1997. The Division issued more than 2600 permits and hunters reported taking 168 turkeys in the three day season. Staff maintained 65 check stations to collect data on harvested turkeys in the spring and fall seasons. Spring gobbler hunting has become a well-established and extremely popular tradition among New Jersey’s turkey hunters since the first season in 1981. A total of 14,043 permits were issued for the 1998 spring season. Spring hunters harvested a record 2,420 turkeys during the five-week season. The birds were in excellent condition due to abundant food supplies and a very mild winter.

Waterfowl Ecology and Management

The Waterfowl Ecology and Management Program is responsible for research and management of more than 30 species of migratory waterfowl. Activities are conducted in association with other state and federal agencies which comprise the Atlantic Flyway Council (AFC). Research is designed to measure waterfowl population size, production, survival, harvest, movements and habitat use. Information collected in New Jersey is combined with that collected by other agencies in eastern North America and is used to develop population management recommendations, including hunting season lengths, bag limits, season dates and establishment of special seasons.

In cooperation with the AFC and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, several surveys are conducted each year to measure waterfowl population parameters. These include snow goose, Atlantic brant and tundra swan productivity, Spring Waterfowl, wood duck call-count and Breeding Waterfowl. The Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey resulted in a count of 523,904 total waterfowl.

A manuscript documenting that border collies were effective in excluding geese from the property studied was submitted to a scientific journal. New Jersey’s resident Canada goose population has increased to more than 80,000 birds and generates numerous nuisance complaints. Unfortunately, the migrant population has declined during recent years complicating management efforts. Accordingly, special seasons (September and Winter) were developed to target resident geese. An estimated 17,715 geese were harvested in the two seasons.

Project personnel work cooperatively with a variety of state and federal agencies and universities on other waterfowl related projects. The Bureau of Land Management was provided with technical assistance, project biologists gave three presentations at a Canada goose symposium hosted by the Monmouth County Water Resources Association and wintering greater scaup and their foods were collected for contaminant analysis in conjunction with the USFWS and the University of Connecticut. More than 13,000 reference morphological (body) measurements of Canada geese were analyzed to enable accurately assigning harvested geese to the resident or migrant population. Staff assisted Canadian biologists in banding 2,000 migrant Canada geese in northern Quebec and represented the AFC as a consultant to the USFWS Regulations Committee. Project biologists hosted several international waterfowl management meetings including the AFC Technical Section, the Black Duck Population Joint Venture, the Arctic Goose Joint Venture Habitat Working Group and CONSEP (steel shot) groups.

Wildlife Control Unit

The Wildlife Control Unit provides assistance to the agricultural community and general public in controlling wildlife damage to crops and property, as well as responding to damage and nuisance complaints. While unit personnel field all kinds of complaints about wildlife, the primary focus of the unit is the solution of problems involving white-tailed deer, black bears, beaver and coyotes. This past year responses were made to 3,495 wildlife nuisance and damage complaints, an increase of 612 over the 2,883 in FY97.

Agricultural deer damage is a major concern with 951 complaints. Solutions to deer damage complaints include application of repellents, placement of fences and use of permits to shoot. Three hundred and fifty rolls of mesh wire and 100 rolls of barbed wire were distributed. Farmers and residential property owners received 627 gallons of deer repellent for use on crops and ornamental shrubbery. There were 547 permits to shoot deer issued to farmers who were experiencing losses.

The black bear population has increased dramatically in the past decade. Interactions and conflicts between bears and people occur on a daily basis in four northern counties. Bears complaints are second to deer complaints in volume, numbering 825 from eight counties in FY98. Complaints ranged in severity from destruction of birdfeeders, trash cans and beehives to losses of livestock and home entries. It is estimated that black bears caused more than $120,000 in property damage. Unit personnel live-trapped and applied aversive conditioning to more than twenty bears. Problems will continue to escalate as bear numbers increase and development continues.

Beaver are found throughout the state and frequently cause damage to trees andhomes. Nearly four dozen beaver were trapped in FY98; some were live-trapped and relocated; others were destroyed. It is increasingly difficult to find suitable places to release problem beaver in this fast-developing state.

Game Bird Propagation

With the combined effort of employees and good weather, 50,000 pheasants were raised for stocking this year.

A new exotic bird exhibit (120’x30’) was constructed with materials salvaged from the Forked River Game Farm. This exhibit replaced the old pens and enhances the experience for our visitors.