January 30, 2024 UPDATES—ALL GOOD NEWS.
1—The latest professional survey of Lakeway’s deer herd showed a very slight increase in numbers, likely due to moderation of the drought. However, the herd size is well within reasonable parameters for Lakeway, with no intervention needed for our happy and healthy herd.
2—Lakeway City Council on Dec. 18, 2023 unanimously voted to remove deer trapping provisions (used for decades to torture and kill our deer but suspended since 2018) from the city ordinances. This action was based on regular professional deer surveys showing manageable and stable herd size—despite no trapping in the last 5 years. (The prohibition against feeding the deer remains in place.) Thank you, Mayor Kilgore, for spearheading this important update to protect our herd!
March 19, 2023 UPDATE
Another survey showing the herd is regulating itself! Lakeway’s 2022 deer survey, done late November-early December, was conducted within the same parameters as in previous years, giving the city 6 years of valuable data. Despite no trapping since early 2018, the size of the herd remained stable and has even decreased in the last 2 years. In 2021 and again in 2022, the counts dropped by roughly 30 deer. This is likely the natural result of the herd adjusting to current conditions (development, drought, etc.) to reach carrying capacity. The surveyor noted: “The white-tailed deer density dropped to 9.58 acres per deer, the lowest that we have seen in any of the past 6 years of surveys.” The surveyor also noted the herd appeared healthy and well-fed. So, no trapping or other intervention is needed. The city will continue regular surveys to monitor the herd.
Feb. 24, 2022 UPDATE
Good news! At Council’s Feb. 22, 2022, meeting, it accepted WAC’s recommendation that no action be taken to control the deer herd, as the recent survey (done in late 2021) found it to be stable in size as well as healthy, suggesting continued data collection and public education as to the deer and other wildlife including coyotes.
Be sure to check out the city’s new WAC pages for the deer and our other wildlife. https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/1728/Lakeways-White-Tail-Deer-Herd
2021 AND BEYOND—A NEW CHAPTER FOR WILDLIFE IN LAKEWAY
There’s a NEW Wildlife Advisory Committee. Mayor Kilgore appointed and Council approved the new group at the August 16, 2021 meeting.
Committee Chair will be returning member Ted Windecker. Also returning are Pam Bunn and Ted McKnight. New members are Mike Burke, Julie Martenson, Georgia Migliuri, and Nina Davis (yes—that’s me!). I’m looking forward to serving with this group, our Mayor and Council in all matters relating to Lakeway’s extensive wildlife population—deer and beyond.
So, I’m drawing a big red line below to mark all that off as WAC and Deer Committee activity and barbaric treatment of deer in Lakeway that happened IN THE PAST. I will not delete it, as that would be trying to erase history. I feel strongly that you can either learn from history or repeat it.
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The BAD OLD days–2020 and before—LAKEWAY’S TROUBLED HISTORY WITH OUR DEER
Jan. 31, 2021 update–GOOD news for our deer! At the Jan. 19 Council meeting, the wildlife biologist (who has performed all 4 annual surveys) explained the Nov. 2020 results. He counted 15 more deer than in 2019, during the 27 miles driven, which is negligible. The biologist noted that over 4 years, there has been no real difference at all. He stated that there was no need for the city to take any action against the deer. Importantly, he noted the herd is “fat and happy,” definitely not starving or sick. When asked if continued lack of culling would result in a dramatic herd increase, he said no; he thinks the numbers are likely to decrease. Further, when asked what would happen if the city DID remove a large number of deer, he said that because Lakeway lacks boundaries, other deer from outside the area would move into Lakeway to exploit the freed-up resources.
So, the good news is that there seems to be no interest in returning to culling our deer. (This could change at any time; a year ago, these same officials voted to cull when the survey showed fewer deer than now.) Annual surveys will continue. WAC needs to be properly staffed; in addition to deer, Lakeway has MANY other wildlife issues they should be handling. Negative deer encounters are being monitored and investigated. If anything needs to be addressed, I hope they refer to Laura Simon’s Humane Society plan for urban deer management and use any available funds for public education and solutions on living with our wildlife.
For complete info, see my Jan. 31 blog.
Jan. 18, 2021 update–The 2020 deer survey is on the Tuesday, Jan. 19 Council Meeting Agenda for discussion and vote at this ONLINE meeting. So, they could decide tomorrow to return to culling. My latest blog has a PDF version of the survey report you can view. The survey found 15 more deer than in 2019, but that minimal change doesn’t mean culling is out of the question; Council approved returning to TTT in 2019, even though THAT year’s survey found FEWER deer than in 2018. If you don’t want our deer killed, let Council know ASAP. To send comments to Council beforehand and/or request to call in and speak in person at the meeting (deadline is 3pm on Jan. 19) about this, go here and create a Public Comment Form–https://lakeway-tx.civicweb.net/Portal/CitizenEngagement.aspx
From my Nov. 8, 2020 blog–I am told the 2020 deer count is underway. This is a full month ahead of the timeline used for the last 3 annual counts, so comparisons will be problematic. These previous counts indicated a slightly decreasing deer population in Lakeway, which was supported by the city’s own statistics on things like collisions, carcass pick-ups and resident complaints—all dwindling as well. Hopefully, the results of the 2020 count will be released to the public before any Council action is taken. Not only was Lakeway’s decades-long culling barbaric and inhumane, it was also unnecessary and failed to reduce the deer population long-term since Hill Country deer simply wandered inside city limits to take advantage of available resources and territory. As a practical matter, past culling cost the city hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars; now, with the COVID economy reducing tax revenue, Lakeway has no funds to waste.
By the way, the Wildlife Advisory Committee last met in February and seems to have been disbanded, although it is still listed on the city site. While other committees have met sporadically or not at all during the pandemic, their monthly meetings are still listed on the city calendar, then cancelled if nothing urgent comes up; WAC has not appeared on calendars since June.
From my Aug. 30, 2020 blog–Whether Lakeway will return to culling our deer remains unclear. Council voted to do so back in January, pending receipt of cost data from the Wildlife Advisory Committee (WAC). At WAC’s February meeting (the last before Council suspended non-essential committees due to the pandemic), a written cost estimate was passed around on the dais, with members careful not to state the figures out loud. If this estimate was passed along to Council, it was never discussed at a public meeting. Yet, at the Aug. 3 budget session, Mayor Cox mentioned the 2021 budget included $8,500 for an annual deer census, plus $36,500 for WAC as part of contingency committee funding. To my knowledge, WAC never spent the $45,000 city funding it got in 2020. It is unclear if the $81,500 combined amount or a higher amount for deer culling is included in the proposed budget, in part due to the fact that budget spreadsheets have not been included in meeting packets available to the public during online Council meetings. Raising our property taxes for new city hires, vehicles, etc.—that is bad enough during a pandemic that has hurt everyone financially. Raising our taxes to return to Lakeway’s decades-old, controversial and barbaric destruction of our deer is outrageous. Council may consider budget issues again at its Sept. 8 meeting (held on a Tuesday due to Labor Day) and its Sept. 21 meeting. It will adopt a budget and set the tax rate at the special Sept. 28 meeting. All meetings will be online.
The moratorium on trapping in Lakeway remains in effect, pending WAC officially submitting deer management cost information to Council and their next actions. That may happen at any time.
HOW TO HELP
Let our officials know how you feel and demand transparency in this process. ATTEND the monthly Wildlife Advisory Committee/WAC meetings. ATTEND Council meetings whenever there is a deer issue on the agenda. In both cases, SPEAK UP during Citizen Participation. EMAIL the mayor and all Council members. (Email addresses are on the city website–see my Government page for the link.) Be polite, but insist on reasonable analysis of the issue and humane management of our herd, using modern methods. Demand that your tax dollars NOT be spent on barbaric and unnecessary trapping. Insist that any Council meeting discussion of trapping include viewing videos of past Lakeway trapping sessions, so people understand what really happens. Also, demand that potential trap sites be made public, so residents know if one is adjacent to their homes. Urge that, instead of returning to culling, Lakeway acknowledge the current small and stable size of the herd and implement co-existence strategies to ease resident and deer interactions (traffic, landscaping, etc.).
Protect the deer and yourself by installing deer whistles on all vehicles. These are small plastic devices that stick to the outer edges of the front bumper; air passing through them as you drive can be heard by wildlife and often scares them away from traffic. These simple and inexpensive items are available at local auto stores and via Amazon.
Support CAFA. This local non-profit, Citizen Advocates for Animals, has championed decent and humane treatment of all animals, including deer, for many years. https://www.facebook.com/cafaTexas/
REVIEW
Deer in Lakeway … where to start?
White-tailed deer have flourished all over the Texas Hill Country since long before Lakeway was founded in the 1960s. Currently, there are around 4 million deer in Texas. As Lakeway has no boundaries, deer wander in and out of town at will, mostly preferring to hang out in Old Lakeway. In Texas, deer are considered property of the state and cannot be killed or interfered with in any way without a state permit; the department in charge is Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
Back in the late 1990s, Lakeway powers-that-be decided to get rid of the deer. Despite never doing a deer survey and having no boundaries to impede deer movement, the city managed to get a TPWD permit for Trap, Transport, Transplant (TTT), and they netted and hauled deer to Mexico; entire truckloads were dead on arrival. Lakeway switched to Trap, Transport and Process (TTP); in this program, deer were netted and trucked to a slaughterhouse, and the meat was donated. All told, 4,000-5,000 deer were killed in roughly 20 years, until 2018. Then, Lakeway residents living adjacent to trap sites could no longer tolerate the brutal practice. Videos hit the local news and YouTube, showing bloodied deer struggling under nets and bucks having their antlers sawed off; children watched and cried in the background. PETA and The Humane Society got involved. Here are a couple videos (the content is disturbing)–
Finally, Lakeway’s dirty little secret was out.
City Council in August of 2018 unanimously passed a moratorium on killing the deer, directing the city’s newly created Wildlife Advisory Committee (WAC) to investigate deer management options and get public input. Supposedly only for 1 year, the moratorium remains in effect. WAC dithered around doing desultory research; a majority of the committee members appeared to be killing time until they would be allowed to kill deer again. (See the TIMELINE below for more info.) No public survey was ever done, so there is no data on what, if any, problems Lakeway residents currently have with deer or on how residents want the deer handled. Obviously, it is not possible to solve a problem without first identifying it.
A year later, at Council’s August 2019 meeting, it rejected WAC’s proposal to reduce the size of the herd by culling, largely because WAC had no idea how many deer it wanted to kill, no clue as to the cost involved, and no reasons why culling was needed. Instead, Council voted to actively monitor the impact of the herd and directed WAC to pursue that goal with specific steps.
Instead, at the December 2019 Council meeting, WAC suddenly proposed the city apply for a TTT permit (this program available due to anthrax having recently decimated deer in west Texas) to trap deer and truck them to hunting ranches in early 2020. (Even TPWD’s own studies show TTT is expensive, ineffective for deer management, and results in early death of the deer–en route to the new location or within a couple months of arrival–a high percentage of the time. See more on TTT below.) Despite Lakeway’s latest survey showing the herd size decreasing and city statistics showing deer/vehicle accidents dropping, Council agreed to apply for a TTT permit. However, it turned out the city missed its opportunity for TTT, as trappers were booked for the season (which ends March 31), and TPWD advised it was too late. At present, a WAC majority is determined to apply for a TTT permit (and/or a TTP permit) in fall of 2020. Council seems poised to approve this again, still waiting on WAC to supply cost information on the various deer management options, as directed last December.
The latest of 3 annual professional surveys shows less than 500 deer currently in Old Lakeway. (While a few deer can be found in other parts of town, the vast majority are concentrated in Old Lakeway, so WAC decided to focus on deer management there.) These surveys (CAFA’s survey done in late 2017, and the city’s surveys done in late 2018 and late 2019) also show herd size decreasing, even with no trapping done since early 2018. Despite this natural decrease in the herd, and despite the city’s other deer metrics (statistics on deer/vehicle accidents, carcass pickups, and deer-related police calls) also in decline, some officials want to return to trapping, either killing the deer outright (TTP) or relocating them to distant hunting ranches (TTT). The high and never-ending cost of such programs, their unpopularity with residents, and the practice being inhumane and patently unnecessary seemingly makes no difference to WAC members Hogan, Borden, McKnight and Edwards, to Mayor Cox, or to Council members Kumar, Smith and Howell—judging by their votes.
Keep in mind that other Hill Country cities don’t kill deer, just Lakeway. Bee Cave doesn’t do it. The Hills doesn’t do it. Austin doesn’t do it.
Since 2014, Austin has attained resident satisfaction and reduced traffic accident rates by following coexistence strategies outlined by urban biologist Laura Simon, formerly with the Humane Society of the United States. Last summer, she presented her 35 page plan to WAC in person and at no charge to the city ; her key point was that herd size is far less important than how residents feel about the deer in their community. She presented several methods to ease conflict (over traffic, landscaping, etc.) without culling or other invasive steps, concentrating on modifying human as well as deer behavior. She had studies and statistics to show these methods have worked all across the country. WAC barely let her finish speaking before voting to reduce the size of the herd.
With all evidence showing our herd is NOT growing but is in fact decreasing on its own, this is the perfect time to explore humane and creative options, including the many proven ways towns like Lakeway can coexist with deer. Here is Laura Simon’s coexistence plan–
Another option is surgical sterilization of some of the does in our herd, to reduce the birthrate and make sure the herd does not increase. Removal of the ovaries is permanent birth control and can be done quickly in the field, with the doe sedated via dart rather than trapped. Last spring, nationally recognized expert Dr. Anthony DeNicola presented a proposal to WAC via teleconference. As far as the number of does needing sterilization, it would NOT be a high percentage, since Lakeway only needs to control growth, not accomplish a reduction in the herd. (For the same, reason, culling would not need to be done in tandem with sterilization here.) TPWD approval is needed, and Dr. DeNicola was confident he could get it by partnering with Texas A&M for a research study. Cost was estimated at $1,000 per doe; however, Dr. DeNicola dropped his rate to $500 per doe in Michigan recently, with local vets assisting his team. Importantly, sterilization costs tend to be high in early years, but then drop dramatically, as fewer and fewer does need to be handled. On the other hand, the cost of lethal methods like TTP and TTT remains high year after year, due to bounce-back (also termed “rebound”).
Bounce-back has 2 aspects, which were explained to WAC by Laura Simon. First, removing/killing deer in a given area frees up resources there; since Lakeway has no barriers and deer thrive all over the Hill Country, deer will move from the perimeter into our city to take advantage of these resources. Second, when herd numbers suddenly drop, the remaining does follow the biological imperative to reproduce, bearing twins and triplets in greater than usual numbers. Soon, the herd size has rebounded. For these reasons, culling our deer is not only inhumane and costly, it actually causes the herd to increase and thus is futile and never-ending.
As for cost, WAC’s report shows TTP costing $35,000 to $40,000 annually in recent years. However, those numbers fail to include all aspects of culling; the trapper’s fee alone can be over $40,000. A realistic estimate for TTP/TTT is likely $75,000-$100,000 per year (as stated by Warren Bluntzer in 2019). And, it will never end….
WILDLIFE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WAC info is here— https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/516/Wildlife-Advisory-Committee
But, there is no email contact provided. All the other committees list an email address for residents to contact the Chair on the city website. WAC really does NOT want citizen input.
WAC is the current incarnation of the old Deer Committee that killed Lakeway deer for decades. (Mayor Cox seemed to believe just changing the name of the committee was enough to fool residents into thinking the city would handle the deer better during her administration.)
The Deer Committee was headed by Charles Edwards, who created Lakeway’s TTP program and ran it forever. He takes great pride in having killed countless deer for Lakeway; at one 2019 WAC meeting, he stalked around the room bellowing “Nobody has the right to stop my trapping program.” Back when Edwards was Lakeway mayor in 2003, he wrote a letter to TPWD, urging that Lakeway be allowed a TTP permit, and to bolster his case he mentioned that fencing out the deer had been tried but the town still had an overpopulation problem. (See the letter below.) Of course, Lakeway never built a fence around the city. But, TPWD read that barriers had been tried and failed and so issued the permit. And, in good old boy tradition, they did so again and again every year—despite Lakeway never doing a deer survey and not having barriers. As a result, thousands of deer died, all at huge taxpayer expense. When a Board of Ethics complaint was filed in 2018 about this letter, Edwards admitted writing it, claiming he was talking about The Hills’ fence. (The Ethics complaint was dismissed on a technicality; they said the statute of limitations had passed.)
Joel Borden also served on the old Deer Committee. From the stories he tells at WAC meetings, it was the high point of his life….
Ted McKnight is a rancher who used to run deer hunts out in west Texas. He views animals as commodities and doesn’t think deer belong in Lakeway. The deer disagree, as do many residents who feel the deer and other wildlife contribute to Lakeway’s charm.
Dennis Hogan is a follower, not a leader. He follows his buddies, in the killing group.
Ted Windecker and Pam Bunn insist that data be analyzed, that modern deer management methods be considered, and that public opinion be sought. Sadly, they are outnumbered.
People like to put a nice face on things and say “Well, no one WANTS to kill the deer ….” I used to assume that was true. Attending WAC meetings since summer of 2018 taught me otherwise. Members Ted Windecker and Pam Bunn aside, the rest of the committee members are eagerly prepping for trapping this fall. They cannot wait to return to the good old days.
TIMELINE
2020
Jan. 9 WAC discloses the 2019 deer survey’s original report had errors that overestimated the size of the herd. Rather than staying the same, herd size decreased in over a year without trapping. (Members Hogan, Borden, McKnight, and Edwards don’t care—they still want to kill deer.) Also, they report applying for a TTT permit but discovering it was too late to get trapping organized before the season ends March 31. A WAC majority (Hogan, Borden, McKnight, and Edwards) is still determined to get TTT and/or TTP organized for fall of 2020.
2019
Dec. 16 Council agrees with WAC and votes to apply for a TTT permit, despite its August vote to manage the impact of the herd instead of focusing on numbers. Council also reverses its previous decision and votes NOT to do a resident survey on deer issues. (Both votes are 4—Cox, Smith, Kumar and Howell, to 3–Vance, Higginbotham and Mastrangelo). In a 3rd vote, Cox joins Vance, Higginbotham and Mastrangelo to put all deer management programs on hold until WAC provides cost information. All this happens despite more than an hour of citizen comments, over 80% being pro-deer and begging Council not to return to trapping. Watch the debate here (item 19)— https://lakewaytx.swagit.com/play/12162019-1538
Dec. 12 WAC announces 2019 deer survey results, showing the herd is stable even without trapping. (See 2019 DEER SURVEY below for details.) Yet, they also vote to recommend Council apply for a TTT permit and haul deer to west Texas Jan.-March of 2020; member McKnight is eager to help out his buddies whose shooting ranches are short on deer after the recent anthrax outbreak. The vote is 4 (Hogan, Borden, McKnight, Edwards) to 2 (Windecker and Bunn).
Nov. – Dec. Lakeway’s second deer survey is performed. (The third, when counting CAFA’s inaugural survey in 2017.)
Nov. 14-15 WAC’s Open House underwhelms the few people who attend this last minute event. There are no speakers and no experts available, just several tables sporting posters with limited deer-related info. There are sheets for public comments, and the comments are overwhelmingly in favor of humane treatment of the deer. However, certain WAC members are seen scrawling their own remarks.
October Biologist Warren Bluntzer’s contract with the city expires, with no discussion of renewal.
Sept. 8 George Cornwell also resigns from WAC in a snit over Council’s decision, despite having been absent from the last several WAC meetings. His committee seat is not filled.
Aug. 25 Dwight Haley resigns from WAC in a snit over Council not accepting his recommendation to cull the herd. Hogan takes over as Chair, and Haley’s committee seat is not filled.
Aug. 19 Rejecting WAC’s numbers-only proposal, Council votes to “actively manage the impact of the herd.” Specific steps were included, such as an annual deer count, a community survey, public education, monitoring the heath of the herd, and monitoring deer-vehicle collisions. The vote was 6/1 (Steve Smith casting the sole dissenting vote and preferring a return to TTP). Watch the debate here (item 7)— https://lakewaytx.swagit.com/play/08192019-1132
June 13 After hearing about options, WAC votes to recommend to Council that herd size be reduced.
June 13 WAC committee member Joel Borden makes a sexist comment from the dais, causing at least one female member of the audience to walk out of the meeting. (There was never any acknowledgment from the Chairman, apology by Borden, or action by the mayor who appointed him.)
June 13 Laura Simon presents to WAC strategies to coexist with deer (instead of killing or sterilizing them), via Solving Problems with Deer, a template conflict management and coexistence plan for white-tailed deer, which she crafted as an urban wildlife biologist for The Humane Society of the United States.
March 14 Anthony DeNicola presents, via teleconference, to WAC on surgical sterilization, specifically removal of does’ ovaries, as a deer management method.
Feb. 19 Council unanimously passes a measure requiring all fences, wood and metal, have a continuous flat top, without spikes or sharp points. (This was requested by CAFA, through WAC, for protection of people, wildlife and pets, and it applies to NEW fencing only.)
Jan. 10 Warren Bluntzer presents to WAC on TTP, TTT, trapping, etc. as deer management methods.
2018
Dec. 13 WAC unanimously votes to recommend Council amend the city code to require metal fences have flat tops.
Nov. – Dec. Lakeway’s very first deer survey is performed. (The local non-profit, CAFA, graciously allowed the city to use the results of the 2017 survey it commissioned.)
Nov. 19 Mayor Sandy Cox appoints outgoing Council member Dwight Haley to WAC, as Chairman. (The other 7 members all remain on WAC.)
Sept. 17 Council accepts WAC’s recommendation and hires biologist Warren Bluntzer (to attend monthly WAC meetings, at a cost of $28,000/year).
Sept. 13 WAC votes to recommend hiring biologist Warren Bluntzer for one year, despite its subcommittee having just begun interviews for the position; Mr. Bluntzer is an expert in TTP (and nothing else), the very program Lakeway practiced for years.
Aug. 20 Moratorium on culling is passed by Council unanimously, suspending the city’s deer control program/TTP for 1 year.
July 2 Mayor Sandy Cox appoints Charles Edwards, George Cornwell, Dennis Hogan, Ted McKnight, Ted Windecker, and Pam Bunn to the newly created Wildlife Advisory Committee/WAC. (Edwards serves as the original Chairman. Cox appoints Joel Borden on Aug. 20, as an alternate.)
1999-early 2018
Lakeway removed/killed 4,000-5,000 deer during this period. That is enough!
2019 DEER SURVEY
On 3 nights (Nov. 19 and 26, and Dec. 3), spotlight surveys were done in Old Lakeway, by Kolbe Ranches and Wildlife, LLC. Each night, they drove 724 acres/27 miles of roads, stopping every 1/10 of a mile to count deer. Efforts were made to match the 2017 and 2018 surveys the company did, so the data could be compared; experts contend that 3 matching annual surveys are needed to accurately capture what is obviously a fluid situation involving moving animals. Kolbe’s survey report is available on the WAC page– https://www.lakeway-tx.gov/516/Wildlife-Advisory-Committee
The surveyor’s report to WAC on Dec. 12 indicated the size of the herd was stable, with no statistical change since the 2018 survey, despite no culling being done. However, on Jan. 9, the surveyor presented a corrected report to WAC; he stated the route used mistakenly included roughly 5 extra acres, compared to the past 2 years. Since the city’s goal was to establish comparative data with repeated annual surveys, he removed the deer counted on those extra acres. This dropped the total number of deer spotted. The result is that the 2019 survey found slightly fewer deer than in previous years.
Importantly, the survey covered roughly 724 acres of Old Lakeway, where the herd is concentrated. The number of deer there is estimated at 400-500. Normal survey practice would be to extrapolate similar numbers in Lakeway’s entire 7,271 acres, which would yield a herd count around 1,300. While that might work for ranches and prairie, it does not reflect reality in Lakeway; there are few if any deer present in Rough Hollow and Serene Hills, or even in Flintrock; this is largely due to the recent clear-cutting and construction (which forced deer into Old Lakeway). Even the surveyor agreed his extrapolation was inaccurate for Lakeway. WAC acknowledged this and voted on Jan. 9, 2020, to accept the survey results and refer them to Council, but without the extrapolated data.
Kolbe took issue with the acres-to-deer ratio he found in Old Lakeway. Again, the standard he prefers may work for ranch land, but deer in an urban setting is a very different proposition. This is another example of why Lakeway should be guided by an URBAN wildlife biologist such as Laura Simon.
Kolbe reported the deer he saw appeared healthy and well fed. (Biologist Warren Bluntzer said the same, during the year he was employed by Lakeway. This agrees with what residents of Old Lakeway see of the herd.)
Kolbe calculated fawn recruitment (basically, survival rate to 1 year of age) to be low, at roughly 33%. He assumed this to be due to many does being too ill or malnourished to raise their young. This runs counter to Kolbe’s own visual assessment of healthy and well-fed deer, and it has no basis in fact. Instead, the low fawn survival rate is explained by Lakeway’s own data; in spring/summer of 2019, city statistics showed over 30 fawns were killed by vehicles. Residents reported last year that coyotes killed many fawns, as well. Kolbe’s analysis of this issue is an example of how “traditional” deer strategies are based on herds in ranch and range settings, and simply do not apply to deer in urban areas like Lakeway.
Ted Windecker has analyzed all 3 surveys, as well as the city’s statistics, and finds the evidence to show our herd is likely near its natural carrying capacity, with the stable numbers indicating herd size is self-regulating. Further, he believes the past human intervention of TTP caused the herd to INCREASE; the trappers lured deer into Old Lakeway with copious amounts of corn, then killed a corresponding number of deer. As shown by the last survey, without TTP’s feeding and trapping for a year, these “extra” deer do not exist in the area. (This is consistent with Laura Simon’s findings on how culling results in bounce-back and an increase in deer numbers.) As with many illogical and antiquated processes, deer culling is a self-perpetuating and endless cycle.
TTT
Council voted last August to “manage the impact of the herd.” How, exactly, does TTT do that? We still have no data on how the herd currently impacts Lakeway and its residents.
TTT as a culling method involves the same inhumane trapping as TTP, so the horrors of all the trapping videos apply. While netted, bucks have their antlers sawed off. Plus, with TTT all the deer are tattooed, for ID purposes at the destination site. Then, the deer are trucked great distances, increasing stress and trauma and the possibility of deadly capture myopathy; Lakeway’s past TTT attempts include cases where entire truckloads of deer were dead on arrival. Finally, with TTT, the new location would be a hunting ranch, so the deer are soon killed. Basically, TTT is NOT the “happy ever after” alternative to TTP that some people promote it as. Instead, it is barbaric and amounts to a death sentence, just a bit more drawn out than with TTP.
In addition, before a TTT permit is granted, the city must kill 15 mature deer, so their brains can be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease.
TPWD’s own expert found TTT to be lacking: “Trap and translocation efforts have been utilized by numerous communities and protected areas across the United States. This technique’s popularity has been a result of the general public’s perception that it poses no risk to human safety and is a non-lethal solution to deer overabundance problems (Stout et al. 1997). However, very few deer managers have accomplished population reduction goals with this method. Capture and translocation has been shown to be ineffective and costly (Jones and Witham 1990). Furthermore, translocated deer have demonstrated high mortality rates resulting from: capture-related injuries, capture myopathy (trapping stress), unfamiliarity with the release site, human activities, and encounters with new mortality agents (Beringer et al. 1996, Jones and Witham 1990). Translocated deer from residential areas usually demonstrate reduced flight distances when disturbed and a preference for roadsides and open lawns. Studies have shown that as many as 25% of translocated deer die within the first two months of trapping/translocation, and more than 65% of deer may not survive longer than one year (Beringer et al. 1996, Jones and Witham 1990, NH Fish and Game Dept. 1996, O’Bryan and McCullough 1985).” [emphasis added] DEER MANAGEMENT WITHIN SUBURBAN AREAS, by Greg Creacy, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department April 2006