Over the last several years a local vineyard in Glenns Ferry has been working with Fish and Game to reduce crop losses caused by a small herd of mule deer. The herd, living within city limits, has a long history of causing extensive damage to the grape crop resulting in thousands of dollars of crop losses each year.
Mule deer doe.
Non-lethal hazing was attempted in late summer of 2020 to deter the deer from eating grapes. Although the Department implemented nonlethal hazing techniques over 18 nights in an attempt to prevent crop depredation, the winery still experienced substantial deer-caused crop 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. During the summer of 2021 the Department is using a drop net trap in an attempt to capture and relocate the deer into more suitable habitats in the Magic Valley Region. While trapping can be an effective tool in some situations, trapping at the winery has been unsuccessful to date.
Another option to reduce the depredating deer herd is to lethally remove them, which presents safety challenges when working within city limits. In consultation and support from the Glenns Ferry Mayor and City Council, Fish and Game has been issued a permit to discharge a firearm within Glenns Ferry city limits for the purpose of reducing the size of the depredating deer herd.
Since mid-August four deer have been lethally removed from the winery grounds. All edible and legally required meat has been retained and professionally processed prior to donating it to Idaho Hunters Feeding the Hungry who then distributes the meat to area food pantries for Idahoans in need of food.
In the following weeks, the Department will continue to monitor deer activity at the winery and implement lethal and non-lethal actions as needed.
Please contact the Magic Valley regional office at (208) 324-4359 with any questions.