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Staff Reports

Open House Style Meetings and Online Input Opportunities

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (February 23, 2024) – How many white-tailed deer should we have in Georgia? The answer varies depending on whom you ask. Management of Georgia’s white-tailed deer herd can be a challenging and, at times, controversial topic.

According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD), the white-tailed deer is Georgia’s most popular game species. Currently, management of regional and statewide deer population density occurs through regulated hunting. However, other issues and opportunities are directly linked to this resource including wildlife viewing, ecological functions, agricultural damage, and deer-car collisions.

WRD’s successful management efforts are informed through biological data, public input and management objectives identified in the agency’s statewide deer management plan, developed through an intensive public participation process.

WRD requests your participation in 3 open house-style public meetings or through an online questionnaire. This allows everyone to provide input regarding management of white-tailed deer for the next 6 years. Citizens are encouraged to provide thoughtful insight on specific key issues. Some of these issues include deer population; deer-vehicle collisions; urban deer management; hunting regulations and methods; hunter access; chronic wasting disease; and communications. Biologists and others will be available at the open house meetings to answer questions about the key issues and provide background information.

The open house schedule is:

Date	Time	City	Location	Address
3/5/2024	3-8 p.m.	Statesboro	USDA/FSA Service Center	151 Langston Chapel Rd Statesboro, GA 30458
3/6/2024	3-8 p.m.	Jackson	High Falls State Park Group Shelter	High Falls Pool Drive Jackson, GA 30233
3/7/2024	3-8 p.m.	Gainesville	Gainesville Civic Center Sidney Lanier Room	Gainesville Civic Center 830 Green St NE, Gainesville, GA 30501

The public can drop in at any time during the open house meetings. For those unable to attend a meeting, a web-based “open house” where the public can access an online questionnaire will be posted at GeorgiaWildlife.com/deer-info. The online questionnaire will be available through April 7, 2024.

For more information on the Georgia Deer Management Plan, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/deer-info or call 770-918-6416.