Nuissance permits from DNR

[bobbers up!]

So our neighbor farmer was having a issue with deer eating his silage over the winter. He complained to the DNR and they gave him a nuissance permit to shoot the deer (as they walked up to feed). I believe the permit allowed him to shoot 10 deer. If this didnt take care of the problem, the DNR would then give the farmer up to $3,000 for a fence to be placed around feed.

This to me sounds like a easy way out for the DNR. They regulate the doe tags in this area and then allow this farmer to just shoot the deer. We, being landowners also put in money for food plots etc to help the deer.

Imagine if all the farmers out there were to get a "nuissance permit" along with $3,000 for a fence from the DNR!

[Spearing Machine]

More than likely the deer are all yarded up on this guys land or very close. Some of these deer have traveled a couple of miles to their "wintering area." It may seem as if there are a lot of deer but after they are all dispersed its not that many, thus altering how many deer per square mile,thus affecting number of permits given out. So this farmer is just one of the unlucky ones to have deer near his property. Taking a guess I bet some farmers never see a deer all winter as they don't have any crops out and the habitat on their property just isn't suitable over wintering habitat. Just my .02.

[Stringerless!]

Marvelous. I did not know the DNR was in the "welfare " game. Heaven help us.

[creepworm]

I agree spearing machine. It will not make a big difference in the population once the deer spread back out. Odds are, if the farmer is fed up enough to call the DNR, there is probably a lot of deer eating his silage. Silage is not something that a farmer can buy, they chop what they think they will need and that is all. When it is gone, it is gone. I am betting this farmer did not plan to feed the deer his silage all winter and is worried about running out before he chops more next year. It would be sad for people to choose a few deer over some farmers livelihood.

[bobbers up!]

My thing is there will always be deer eating a farmers crops/silage. The DNR tries to regulate the deer population by handing out so many doe license during hunting season. I understand that they do the best they can with this but to me handing out nuissance permits is the easy way out. They do make tarps and fences to put on and around the feed. Alot of farmers dont want a fence because they have to open a gate every time they need to get at the feed. We aslo put alot of money into feeding the deer for a healthy herd. If we would have known I would have hauled feed out to the woods.

I guess if your a farmer all you have to do is complain and receive a nuissance permit to shoot deer out of season? Gotta be a better way!

[carpshooterdeluxe]

10 deer? thats It? we did depredation hunts on a few farms in SD last winter where over 100 deer were harvested from one farm yard.

I would have to assume that somebody from the DNR came out to verify damage to the silage bags, the deer density, etc before issuing the permit.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

My thing is there will always be deer eating a farmers crops/silage. The DNR tries to regulate the deer population by handing out so many doe license during hunting season. I understand that they do the best they can with this but to me handing out nuissance permits is the easy way out. They do make tarps and fences to put on and around the feed. Alot of farmers dont want a fence because they have to open a gate every time they need to get at the feed. We aslo put alot of money into feeding the deer for a healthy herd. If we would have known I would have hauled feed out to the woods.

I guess if your a farmer all you have to do is complain and receive a nuissance permit to shoot deer out of season? Gotta be a better way!

The reason the farmers ask for help with the deer is not necessarily the amount of feed the deer eat, its the damage they do to the silage bags which then can render the silage useless from exposure to the elements. and think about your average feed lot. even if there were your typical fencing, how many areas this winter had 4-6 foot drifts? I know my farm did. Heck we had deer standing on snow half way up our apple tree eating a few of the apples that didn't fall.

Be happy the farmers are even asking the DNR. For every 1 that calls, there are probably 3 that subscribe to the shoot shovel shut up method.

[bobbers up!]

Yes 10 deer is it, and that affects the population greatly cosidering does were soon to have fawns. Im not sure where any of you hunt or if any of you hunt but I'm all for fair chase and deer management some other way than shooting them as they walk up to silage piles. It was a very rough winter for deer, alot of snow, no food, wolves, coyotes and many other variables took a toll this year also, let alone these special nuissance permits!

[BobT]

I think this is a tough topic. As a part-time farmer my self I can understand the concern that farmers might have and I can see where they might feel that they should have a right to protect their livestock feed. As one that is concerned about wildlife I also understand the other side of the fence so-to-speak.

The first thing that I would have to ask of a farmer seeking one of these permits is, "What steps have you taken to protect your livestock feed from the deer? Have you installed a barrier for example?"

Every year I lose a percentage of my crops to deer predation. In some areas my wheat looks like I was out there with my lawn mower. As long as I don't take some measures to protect my crops, what right do I have to complain about it? Any non-farmer that plants a garden bears the risk of deer and other creatures raiding it for food. I fence my garden every year. If I didn't I would not have any crops at the end of the year. I know. One might argue that a family garden is different than a sileage pile. Yes and no. I have plenty of neighbors that rely on their gardens for their food supply for the rest of the year. If they lose their gardens, they risk some pretty serious hardship.

[TooTallTom]

In most of the state, the deer herd is doing just fine. Maybe even too good (Look at the suburbs and SE MN especially.) for its own good. Without knowing specifics of the farm/ area and the local herd, it's really hard to know whether the depredation permit being issued was a bad thing.

Another thing to think about is, with this rough winter, the rest of that local herd now has less competition for resources (food/ water and shelter) from other deer for the winter/ spring period since ten deer plus their potential fawns have been removed. That's probably actually a good thing for the deer herd as a whole, what with the rough winter and all.

I think the DNR probably takes potential depredation permits into account when issuing licenses, and vice versa. I know they often don't do things the way many of us would like to see them done, but I think they generally do a pretty good job with the tools they have. They also generally have a lot more information to consider than most of us when making a decision.

[LightningBG]

We, being landowners also put in money for food plots etc to help the deer.

Imagine if all the farmers out there were to get a "nuissance permit" along with $3,000 for a fence from the DNR!

Maybe you need to do a better job with your food plots and they'll leave the farmers silage alone.

I think you just need to get over it. Its the way it is and the way it always has been (except without permits probably).

I'd rather him take out a few deer than send the guy $3K. They wont go to waste. I'm sure he'll eat them or give them away. Maybe he wont need a license next year for the regular hunt and you can get an extra.

[bobbers up!]

Lightningbg- Obviously you have not a clue what your talking about! LOL! The deer will always go to the easiest food source when there is 3 ft of snow. I would be happy to snow shoe food in to help the situation if I would have known this farmer was having this issue.

I am over this and this is a subject that you can voice your opinion to the DNR so it doesnt happen again. And that has been done.

[MJ1657]

I farm and one thing noone ever seems to get is that sileage, feed etc. is their paycheck.

If a deer was poking its head in your (not directed at anyone) wallet and eating the money out of it you would probably want to do something about it.

Carpshooterdeluxe is correct. If they are doing damage to a sileage bag it could ruin thousands of dollars of feed.

[ANYFISH2]

They are just deer! Just like any animal some are going to do property damage an need to be taken care of(killed).

No matter how hard one works to keep deer on thier property so they can kill one, doesn't mean they have any more right to them, they are gods creatures that we so privileged to enjoy. He Has just as much right to protect his property as you have to protect the deer from your nieghbors.

[BobT]

I farm and one thing noone ever seems to get is that sileage, feed etc. is their paycheck.

If a deer was poking its head in your (not directed at anyone) wallet and eating the money out of it you would probably want to do something about it.

Carpshooterdeluxe is correct. If they are doing damage to a sileage bag it could ruin thousands of dollars of feed.

That is true. In reference to your analogy, I'd add a button on my back pocket so they couldn't get their nose into my wallet or I'd move my wallet into a different pocket they can't reach.

We farmers should at least consider doing what we can to protect our own supplies and not rely on big brother to take care of us shouldn't we or have we become that dependant on government for everything that we've forgotten how to do it on our own?

[MJ1657]

I for the most part agree with you BobT. I guess my main point was that it seems that alot of people do not think of feed as money.

Just assumimg its bagged sileage alot of farmers may have 2-20 or more bags it would be very expensive to fence it to try and keep them out.

[B. Amish]

if you think this is unfortunate. go to your local DNR office around July 1st and ask for a list of the goose depredation permits that have been given out on the year.

after nesting but before they can fly, the geese will gather on traditional brood ponds and can cause damage on adjacent crop fields where they like to dine on young soybeans. farmers get upset and can get a permit to 'remove' the geese.

[LightningBG]

Lightningbg- Obviously you have not a clue what your talking about! LOL! The deer will always go to the easiest food source when there is 3 ft of snow. I would be happy to snow shoe food in to help the situation if I would have known this farmer was having this issue.

I am over this and this is a subject that you can voice your opinion to the DNR so it doesnt happen again. And that has been done.

The food plot comment was meant as somewhat of a joke, but didn't come across that way I will admit.

But I do think we need to just get over it. The farmer has to protect his property.

[BobT]

if you think this is unfortunate. go to your local DNR office around July 1st and ask for a list of the goose depredation permits that have been given out on the year.

after nesting but before they can fly, the geese will gather on traditional brood ponds and can cause damage on adjacent crop fields where they like to dine on young soybeans. farmers get upset and can get a permit to 'remove' the geese.

I guess I didn't know there were permits available but then I never thought to check either. I have a few wet areas on my land that pairs like to use for rearing their young and you can definitely see where they graze down my soybeans and wheat.

In all honesty I don't mind too much despite the losses in crop yield because I figure when hunting season comes around they owe me and I do try to collect. I guess it's my version of a food plot.

[MJ1657]

We had a big problem with gees eating the corn when it was about an inch tall. They would eat 6-10 rows around a pond we have. The DNR gave us $500 to purchase a battery powered electric fencer and wire.

It worked.

[lichen fox]

A neighbor of mine has cattle and has been having a problem with deer getting into his hay supply...standing on top of some of it as they eat and carp all over it...cattle won't eat it when that happens...so, he calls the dnr...gets a permit to shoot up to 10 of the deer causing the problems...the thing that I found interesting was the permit stated that "he could not use lead bullets" and he couldn't keep any of the deer or give them away....period....I imagine the last part was related to possible disease and they wanted to make sure the animals were tested...but, the "lead bullet" thing?? Why on earth would the permit require that you go out and buy higher priced, non-lead bullets just to shoot some animals doing damage to your property....Anyone else heard of this?? Maybe a sign of "things to come?"

[B. Amish]

i don't know about the lead thing, but...

i talked to a farmer recently who had over a 100 deer feeding on his round alfalfa bales this winter. i asked if it bothered him, he said it didn't. i asked how much they ate, he figured about a bale total.

he said because the bales were wrapped in that nylon mesh that the deer weren't able to climb on them and tear them all open. they're only able to eat at them from the ends.

so, maybe a nylon mesh baler would help someone else out who has deer problems in the winter.

[jiggin9]

Lichen Fox-

Does your neighbor happen to live East of Viking? Your story is identical to what my father in law has going on his farm. The DNR gave him orange snow fence to wrap his hay stacks with last year. This is about the most worthless tactic i've ever seen. The deer easily knock it down and are right back on top of the stacks. Like you said, they do their business on the hay and then the cattle won't touch it. They are also good at knocking stacks over which also ruins a lot of hay.

I love deer and deer hunting as much as anyone else but there has to be way to resolve this issue. This year the DNR gave him 10 permits to shoot. The DNR drug their feet with all the [PoorWordUsage] paperwork all winter and now got him the permits last week. Also, like you said he has to abide by all the rules (no lead, has to donate all deer, etc...) and that they'll be watching him. It was typical to see 30+ deer on his stacks earlier this winter but now the deer have moved on with the snow melt and warmer temps opening up more forage. Interesting, eh? Is that the solve all solution? I don't believe it is. The DNR needs to really look at this problem and work with the farmers. They have all of these solutions for the farmers (bale location, change implements)but they leave it at that. They get ideas from one person who did research on it and that's supposed to solve all cases. You can't expect every farmer to buy different equipment. You're talking a lot of money there. All I know is you can't just throw cheap fence or permits at the farmers and expect a fairytale ending.

[lichen fox]

So, Jiggin...you must be Nate eh? Yes, your father in law is the one...he is also my Brother in law....I'm Bob...Jodies brother...

[jiggin9]

Yeah, it's me. Small world, huh? Most of the deer have moved off the stacks and off to greener pastures. They still hang around between here and your mom's place. There are a lot over by the gravel pits south of the highway too. I figured they'd be back to the hay after that forecasted snowstorm that was supposed to hit us but we all know the outcome of that. Oh well. There might be some snow fence for sale in the near future if you're interested. Price is negotiable. Haha. Take care Bob.