Deer Hunting Closes Down Chester Township Park

CHESTER, NJ — As part of its efforts to control the white-tailed deer population in its 700 acres of parkland, the “controlled deer hunting program” in Chester Township has begun in its parks, according to the township.

The Morris County Parks Commission recently announced that the firearm portion of the season has begun at the Black River Facilities, including Cooper Gristmill, Elizabeth D. Kay Environmental Center, Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center and Willowwood Arboretum.

As a result, the parks and trails at those locations will be closed to the general public on the following dates: Dec. 7 and 15, Jan. 11 and 18.

According to Chester Township, the hunting schedule varies depending on whether the park is run by the township, county, or state, with all hunters required to have a permit to attend.

Evans Family Forest Preserve, Tiger Brook Park, MacGregor Preserve, Highlands Ridge Park, Parker Rd. Preserve, and Tannersbrook Preserve are among the township parks.

The full hunt schedule can be found here.

The goal of the deer hunt is to keep deer populations low enough to allow for the restoration of native plant communities within the parks. According to the commission, studies have found that at high densities, deer browsing can hurt forest communities. Overbrowsing can eliminate understory herbaceous plants, shrubs, and saplings, leaving only adult canopy trees in the forest.

"In selected parks of this nature, the MCPC continues to work towards reducing populations to levels that will allow for successful habitat restoration, both natural and assisted. Other parks exhibit little damage from deer and contain lower-density populations. In these parks, the goal is to maintain the deer population at levels that allow healthy habitats to continue to thrive," MCPC said.

The white-tailed deer is a species with a high rate of population growth. Females can reach reproductive maturity as young as one year old and can give birth to up to three fawns per year.

The lack of natural predators in this area, combined with supplemental feeding by well-meaning homeowners, contributes to a constantly expanding population.

To limit the rapid population growth that deer are capable of, the MCPC applies continuous pressure on the deer population by allowing for limited hunting on an annual basis.

More information can be found on the Morris County Parks Commission website.