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European deer species spotted in Warren County

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Staff report Updated 6:16 PM Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Hunters along the border of Warren and Clinton counties have sighted several fallow deer in recent weeks, according to biologists with Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.

Fallow deer are native to Europe but are commonly raised for meat and preserve hunting in the United States.

The fallow deer are reportedly escapees from a propagator in Warren County. Both fallow bucks and does have been observed, according to reports. This deer is not native to Ohio and there is no restricted season or bag limit. Hunters are encouraged to harvest them while out in the field. As with any non-native species, it is important to quickly limit their populations to control spread of disease and competition with native Ohio wildlife.

The common fallow deer has a brown coat with irregular white spots that are most pronounced in summer with a much darker coat in the winter. Some are lighter colored, almost white, and others very dark, even black. The most distinctive feature of the fallow deer is the male’s antlers, which resemble a hand with widespread fingers pointing backwards. Females, like white-tailed deer, usually do not have antlers. Fallow deer are mainly grazers, but will browse herbs, leaves, acorns, young deciduous shoots, and crops like sugar beets.

A valid hunting license and permit is required while deer hunting in Ohio. Hunters are not required to tag fallow deer.

Hunters are asked to report the harvest of fallow deer to the local wildlife officer or wildlife management staff at the Wildlife District Five Headquarters in Xenia at (937) 372-9261.

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Jack, I wonder WHY we have no wolves or wild cats in Ohio anymore?????????????????????????????? Maybe because WE have encroached on their land??

EAT MEAT??
7:08 AM, 11/16/2009

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Concernedmom, you really should learn more before you open your mouth. Last year in Ohio, hunters provided 220,000 meals to the less fortunate. I don't care if you hunt or not, but don't attempt to argue with "disney-fied" emotion instead of reason and logic. Hunting is a necessary activity that also happens to be enjoyable and part of the fabric of this nation.

J.D.
10:08 AM, 11/11/2009

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IF people in the food banks are so hungry it doesnt take much to go out and bag a deer come on i have my own family to feed in these tough times

whitetail
12:15 AM, 11/10/2009

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All you hunters out there just want to get a big rack off your hunt. The bigger the better. The venison is made into jerky for the next big hunting get together You drink gallons of beer and chaw on your jerky and talk the one that got away. I don't see venison being donated to the food banks where they are hurting for donations. Let professionals round up the deer like these big hunting groups that circle the deer and shoot them like fish in a barrel. Donate the meat to feed the hungry.

concernedmom
2:13 PM, 11/5/2009

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It's extremely important that ALL of these deer be killed. They've demonstrated an ability to survive in this environment and will continue to breed and spread. It's possible that they could eventually spread throughout the entire eastern U.S. As long as there are even a couple of breeding pairs alive, these deer will increase in numbers and place unpredictable additional burdens on a local ecosystem which is already experiencing damage from overgrazing by white tail deer.

conservationist
10:26 AM, 11/5/2009

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