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Proposed Deer Population Management Initiative for Rock Creek Stream Valley Park Unit 2, Chevy Chase

PROJECT DESCRIPTION | PUBLIC INPUT | MEDIA CENTER | PROJECT CONTACT

The deer population management program for Rock Creek Stream Valley Park, Unit 2 has been approved and will begin January 2013.

Project Description

Project Update

Operations associated with this initiative were implemented and completed safely and successfully for the FY2013 season.

Proposed deer management area mapBackground

The 277-acre section of parkland in Rock Creek Stream Valley Park was chosen to address damage caused by an increasing population of deer, including deer-related automobile accidents, damage to agriculture and natural resources, and increased potential of communicable diseases such as Lyme disease. Recent estimates indicate deer population in this park is three times the recommended density for an area this size. The decision to add this park to the deer management operations was made after review of citizen complaints and input and with strong support from the community.

M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks (Parks) conducted deer density estimates in Rock Creek Stream Valley Park, Unit 2 during the years 2008 through 2010. It is currently estimated that 40-50 individual deer utilize this parkland area of 277 acres; a deer density of 3 times higher, minimum, than recommended for this location.

Parks received requests for, and support of, deer population reduction efforts on these parklands from property owners of the affected area.

Highly trained and certified Park Police Sharpshooters will lethally remove deer from the park, under very stringent guidelines and in the most humane way possible. The deer management operation will take place when the park is closed to the public, from 5:30 p.m. until sunrise each day from February 1 through March 31, 2013, and recur annually January 1 through March 31 as necessary. Information about the hunts will be posted on signs throughout the park, on the Montgomery Parks’ website homepage and communicated via Park Police patrols. All deer harvested through the effort will be donated for consumption at local soup kitchens.

Rock Creek Stream Valley Park, Unit 2 is among 25 other parks in the Montgomery Parks’ system selected for managed hunts during the fall 2012 – winter 2013 season. Park Closure Dates and locations for upcoming deer management operations including Lottery-based Managed Deer Hunts, Cooperative Managed Deer Hunts and Park Police-based Sharpshooting Operations vary.

Public Input

Public comments on this initiative were accepted until 3:00pm on Friday, October 26, 2012. The decision to approve this initiative was made by the Department’s Administration and staff following review of all public comments and associated data.

A summary of all public comments for this initiative are available for review.. Personal information such as names and addresses is not included in the comments summary.

Media Center

As they become available, press releases, news articles and items of interest will be listed here and the Parks Media Center.

Project Contact

Bill Hamilton, Principal Natural Resource Specialist
MCP-deermanagement@montgomeryparks.org

back to top - Last update: March 5, 2013