MISSOULA — Deer in Missoula can be hard to miss. Unfortunately, they can also be hard to miss for cars and other hazards.
"We have so many deer in town. You can't be anywhere in Missoula and not see deer, that's for sure,” said Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) Vivica Crowser.
For many in Missoula seeing deer, even injured ones, has become a part of daily life.
“You come into a herd of deer way at the top of Mount Jumbo and you can tell they're wild because they run away. Where urban deer just look at you and you get close enough to pet them sometimes. Although I wouldn’t recommend it,” said Morgan Valliant, the associate director of ecosystem services with Missoula Parks and Recreation. “A herd of urban deer is very different than a herd of wild deer.”
While FWP oversees wild deer populations, urban deer are often left to run wild through town.
"Years ago, before hunting restrictions were in place, there weren't a lot of deer around because they were hunted like year-round, 24/7, and so we've seen a huge increase in deer populations in our urban area where they're especially protected because there aren't, you know, their major predators in urban areas are probably automobiles,” said Valliant.
Reactions to urban deer are also very different, especially if an animal is injured. When Missoula residents see an injured deer, many wonder how to help. It’s important to stay back, said Crowser.
"It's so tough. It is, that's our instinct is we want to help. And I think the first thing to remember is that animals are amazingly resilient. You know, a lot of times we see animals that look in pretty tough shape and they will pull through that,” she said.
As a wild species living within city limits, town deer are a management challenge. Currently, neither the city nor FWP manages Missoula’s urban deer population.
FWP will help injured deer on a case-by-case basis in the city, such as tranquilizing to get antlers unstuck or euthanizing if needed. Some cities, like Helena, have asked FWP to step in, leading to population control methods like culling.
"There's been a number of discussions throughout the years and it's just never gotten to the point of, of actually taking the next step and, you know, maybe, maybe that'll happen one day, maybe it won't. But it's definitely something always on our radar,” Crowser said. “Lots of deer in town."
While talks about management have gone on for years, the first step would be determining which neighborhoods are the most problematic through a study contracted by the Missoula City Council.
"This is something a lot of communities have been trying to figure out and it's something that Missoula needs to figure out,” said Valiant.
Injured deer or carcasses that pose an immediate threat should be called into 911. If it is not an emergency, injured deer can be reported to FWP online or by calling 406-542-5500.
