Might the Vienna town government soon find itself enmeshed in the contentious and at times emotional issue of what to do with what some see as an overabundance of deer in the community?
In a column written for the town government’s September newsletter, Town Council member Chuck Anderson gives a foreshadowing that such a discussion could be on the horizon.
He listed a number of problems related to deer overpopulation. Among them: spread of disease, foliage loss and vehicular-deer collisions.
“While other nearby jurisdictions have established deer-population-management programs, Vienna has none,” Anderson wrote. “Consequently, we are a deer-sanctuary island.”
Whether Anderson’s comments were simply the musings of one elected official, or telegraph upcoming consideration of the issue by town officials, remains to be seen.
Fairfax long has had deer-population-control efforts in place, using sharpshooters, archers and managed hunts on public lands.
Fairfax County officials say their efforts are designed to address the natural limits on how many deer the habitat can support over time without damage.
“A healthy ecosystem can support 15 to 20 deer per square mile without damage to the environment,” the government says on its Website. Some areas of the county see 40 to 100 deer per square mile, it says.
Neighboring Arlington County, a much more urban environment, over the past few years has gone through a noisy civic discussion over implementing a sharpshooter program; unless there is an change of heart among county leaders, will go into effect the winter of 2025-26.
Populations of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) had declined significantly in the eastern U.S. during the first half of the 20th century, but have rebounded in recent decades.
