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H.B. 9
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VETOES
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Preamble
WHEREAS, The current population of deer in the State of Maryland, which is
estimated at more than 250,000, is far beyond what the available habitat can
accommodate; and
WHEREAS, Despite the disruption of rural habitat areas because of
development projects and recreational uses, deer are remarkably adaptable to
residential areas, including urban and suburban sprawl areas, where they enjoy
safety from natural predators and hunters; and
WHEREAS, As demonstrated by a 1998-1999 survey of Anne Arundel, Howard,
Montgomery, and Prince George's counties in which the number of deer in the areas
studied increased by approximately 50% in the course of only 1 year, this population
is not only thriving but reproducing at a startling rate; and
WHEREAS, When a deer herd reaches its upper density limits, as is now the
case, the results are the poor health and weakened physical condition of the animals
themselves, as well as their overconsumption of native plants, shrubs, and trees that
are necessary for the survival of other species in the natural ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, In tandem with this multiplication of the deer population have been
alarming spikes in the rate of tick-borne illnesses transmitted to human beings, such
as Lyme disease; and
WHEREAS, The rate of reported deer-vehicle collisions has more than doubled
in the State since 1990, and these collisions have caused multiple fatalities and
serious injuries; and
WHEREAS, Deer-vehicle collisions likewise cause property damage of about
$10 million per year, which, in turn, leads to higher insurance rates for all drivers;
and
WHEREAS, A recent University of Maryland study found that, because of deer,
92% of the State's farmers suffer damage to corn, wheat, and soybean crops, an
annual economic loss in excess of $38 million which is considered a conservative
estimate because it does not include damage to fruits, vegetables, and other crops;
and
WHEREAS, Nonlethal control mechanisms, such as fencing, fertility control,
repellents, relocation, deterrent reflectors along roadways, and behavior modification
by the installation of lights, have proven largely ineffective because they cannot be
used routinely and inexpensively and moreover, they impact only a small number of
deer; and
WHEREAS, Extended research has shown that hunting is the most effective
method to reduce the size of the deer herd, and it is likewise the most cost-effective
method to do so; and
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- 4934 -
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