Deer Overpopulation A Problem, Potomac Residents Say

The deer population in Potomac is starting to clash with its human residents, but state regulations are preventing the county from doing anything to help.

In 2011, there were more than 2,000 car versus deer collisions in Montgomery County, according to a WAMU report from a public safety committee meeting.

According the WAMU story, Rob Gibbs, the head of Montgomery County's deer management program, said the The number he has actually comes from the police department, but many residents call their insurance companies instead.

"As deer continue to spread into lower parts of the county and through areas where we've not been able to any deer management, we expect those numbers will continue to go up," Gibbs said according to WAMU. "We are pretty confident they would be much, much higher if we weren't taking the actions we're taking."

Residents also told the committee that beyond the crashes, the deer have ticks, which have lead to more people contracting Lyme disease.

They would like more controlled hunts in the area, however the county said the state's restrictions limit when the hunts could occur and how long they would last. It also restricts where hunts can occur, as they worry about the proximity to residential areas.

The county held its and 25 deer were killed in the hunt, according to WAMU.