Crop losses continue to occur at a local vineyard from a small herd of urban mule deer in Glenns Ferry. The urban deer have been depredating on the grape crop despite repeated deterrence efforts. Fish and Game biologists are continuing to work cooperatively with the vineyard owner to reduce crop losses.
The herd of 20-25 deer lives within city limits and has a long history of causing extensive damage to the grape crop resulting in thousands of dollars of crop losses each year.
Non-lethal hazing, using noise and painful stimuli has been attempted over the last few years to deter the deer from eating grapes. Despite these efforts, the vineyard still experienced substantial deer-caused loss to winery grapes.
As with most wildlife depredation issues, the Department has many different tools available to use in an attempt to change wildlife behavior and reduce the amount of damage caused to agricultural crops.
The Department, in cooperation with the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation, intends to continue to use a drop net trapping operation in an attempt to capture and relocate the deer into more suitable habitats in the Magic Valley Region. Trapping will commence in early to mid-March with the goal of relocating as many deer as possible.
Please contact the Magic Valley regional office at (208) 324-4359 with any questions.