How to deal with problem White-tailed deer in Connecticut

White-tailed deer (deer, whitetail)

White-tailed deer

White-tailed deer in yard
Whitetails in field
Whitetail buck

White-tailed deer inhabit virtually every conceivable American landscape east of the Rockies, including major cities. Deer are active throughout the year. Most adults roam an area of less than one square mile. Deer eat the leaves, stems, and buds of woody plants throughout the year. Fruits and nuts (especially acorns), garden vegetables, flowers, and agricultural crops are important seasonally.

Fawns are born in late May or June. For the first month, fawns lie still and hide much of the time, and may appear to have been abandoned. The mother forages relatively nearby and periodically returns throughout the day to nurse. Within a month, the fawns are strong and agile enough to travel and forage with their mothers.

Deer are very tolerant of people and will bed and give birth in wooded edges, grassy areas, and fields close to homes. Deer movements and feeding activities are the chief factors in nuisance and damage situations. Deer can cause significant damage to ornamental trees, shrubs, flowers, vegetables, and native plants. Deer-vehicle collisions are a threat to human safety and property, especially during the fall mating season. Deer also have been implicated in the spread of ticks carrying Lyme disease. 

White-tailed deer carrying capacity

Deer carrying capacity chart

Deer population carrying capacity

When managing deer in human-populated areas, wildlife managers consider the "carrying capacity" of an area in three contexts: biological, ecological, and social/cultural.

Biological carrying capacity is the maximum number of deer that a habitat can support on a continuous, long-term basis. The biological carrying capacity in areas with the availability of artificial food sources (e.g. birdseed, fertilized lawns) may be much higher than in a wild environment.
Ecological carrying capacity is the level at which deer do not negatively influence native plants and animals. Ecological carrying capacity for white-tailed deer is normally in the range of 3 to 10 deer per square kilometer. Beyond these densities, deer browsing impacts the regeneration of certain plants that in turn impacts other wildlife species. Deer numbers at this level can still present challenges like deer-vehicle collisions or damage to yards and gardens.  
Social or cultural carrying capacity is the deer population level at which people can tolerate or accept the problems associated with a deer herd. In most cases when managing deer in populated areas, local residents will determine the social carrying capacity for the deer herd.  Peoples' tolerances for deer can vary widely, so it is important for communities to work together in managing and controlling deer population.

Solutions for white-tailed deer problems

How to keep animals from eating my bird seedExplore this solution

How to avoid hitting a deer with my carExplore this solution

How to keep deer from damaging my yard/gardenExplore this solution

Shooting deer to reduce nuisance problems and maintain population balanceExplore this solution

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Laws and regulations to be aware of

Regulations for Connecticut

Trapping and shooting general information for homeowners

Outside of regulated seasons, homeowners are strictly prohibited from trapping and shooting wildlife, unless the animal has been causing property damage or is an obvious threat to public health and safety. If trapping and/or shooting is undertaken under these circumstances, homeowners must still comply with the state’s regulated season trapping laws, which regulate trap types and sizes, baits and lures, location and placement, and how often traps must be checked  Homeowners must also comply with regulated season firearms laws, which regulate allowable weapons and ammunition, and discharge and shooting times.  Finally, homeowners must comply with all state and local firearms regulations and restrictions, and any other applicable local ordinances.  For regulated season trapping and shooting regulations and any other information on the regulated season, see the CT Hunting and Trapping Guide.  Please see the CT Law Library for information on state firearms regulations. Contact your municipality for information on local firearms restrictions and other applicable local ordinances.

Regulated hunting season

In Connecticut, there is a legal hunting season for this species.  Shooting may only be done by a licensed hunter or the landowner of the property, and hunters must follow all laws and regulations regarding allowable weapons and ammunition.  Check the CT Hunting and Trapping Guide for information on season dates and required permits, and for any special conditions.

Deer Crop Damage Permit Program

The Deer Crop Damage Permit Program (Connecticut General Statutes 26-82) provides commercial agriculturalists with a minimum annual gross income of $2,500.00 and an actual or potential loss of this income from their cultivated agricultural crops, the opportunity to reduce damage caused by deer when the firearms deer hunting seasons are closed. For more information, contact the Wildlife Division at (860) 418-5952 or (860)418-5921, Monday through Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, or see Deer Crop Damage Permit Program. 
While we attempt to provide guidance about state and federal regulations pertaining to specific species and control techniques, we do not provide information about local jurisdictions (city, town, county, etc.) where regulations may be more restrictive, especially as it applies to discharge of firearms, transport of animals or use of trapping equipment. Contact your local city or county government to inquire further. No guarantee is made that information (or lack of information) associated with a species or control technique is completely accurate or current. You should become familiar with federal, state and local laws before beginning any wildlife control activities.