Deer hunting season has begun in Morris County parks

Morris County's parks have opened again for "controlled deer hunts'' this fall and winter season, with a goal of culling the white-tail population to limit damage to forests caused by too many deer.

Hunters, armed with special county permits, entered the woods in many county parks over the weekend and yesterday for bow hunting, which will be allowed on limited days through the end of the year. A more limited shotgun season, for a few select parks, will be held next month and in January and February, said officials.

Park system officials stressed they are using the hunts as a "population management tool,'' not as recreational hunting opportunities.

The park commission's executive director, David Helmer, has said the goal is not to foster sport hunting but to improve the health of the woods.

"We have a responsibility to be stewards of the land, to take care of our forests,'' Kelli O'Connor, superintendent of natural resources for the park commission, said at a briefing on the subject earlier this year. "We are really looking to get to the point one day to see the start of regeneration of plant life on the forest floor, which is the future of our forests, which have been devastated by deer."

Hunting will take place this fall and winter at Mount Hope Historical Park, Rockaway Township; Schooley's Mountain County Park, Washington Township; Lewis Morris County Park, Harding, Mendham and Morris townships; Loantaka Brook Reservation, Chatham, Harding and Morris townships, and Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, Boonton Township, Montville and Kinnelon.

Hunts have been set up at Central Park of Morris County, at the former Greystone campus, Parsippany; Fosterfield Living Historical Farm, Morris Township; Frelinghuysen Arboretum and Community Gardens, Morris Township and Hanover; James Andrews Memorial Park Randolph, and Jonathan's Woods in Boonton Township.

Also, there will be hunting at Black River County Park in Chester Township, including Bamboo Brook, Kay Center, Knight/Allen property and Willowwood Arboretum.

The parks will be closed to the public on hunting days from November through February. Specific dates for each park and more information on the hunts can be found at www.morrisparks.net.

The park commission has allowed hunters onto its properties since the early 1990s. O'Connor said deer have ravaged much of the native plant growth in many county parks.

In addition, backers of deer culling say hunts reduce deer-car accidents; stem Lyme disease, which is carried by deer ticks; reduce damage to crops, and give homeowners a break on constant ravaging of their trees, flowers and gardens by hungry deer.

A total of 336 deer were "harvested" by hunters in 14 county parks last season. The largest number of deer, 68, were killed at Lewis Morris County Park.

Lawrence Ragonese may be reached at (973) 539-7910 or lragonese@starledger.com.