When it comes to managing local deer that munch foliage and crunch fenders, Cayuga Heights residents want to keep the decision-making local, according to a survey by Cornell University's natural-resources experts.

Analysis of the survey, conducted last fall by the Human Dimensions Research Unit of the Cornell Department of Natural Resources among 438 property owners, found mixed opinions on the herds of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that roam through suburban neighborhoods:

• Deer-car collisions and damage to landscape plants and flower gardens top the list of problems cited by a majority of survey respondents. Nearly 90 percent say they had personally experienced deer-related problems, and 25 percent have been personally affected by a deer-car accident.
• Only 11 percent say they enjoy the presence of deer without worrying about problems deer may cause. A majority (54 percent) enjoy neighborhood deer but worry about problems. One-third (34 percent) report they do not enjoy the presence of deer and regard them as nuisances.
• Over 80 percent wish the population of deer in Cayuga Heights would decrease. Only 3 percent prefer a population increase and 12 percent prefer no change in population size.
• Although one-third of residents say they were not at all interested in watching deer near their home or seeing deer in Cayuga Heights, a majority of respondents express moderate to strong interest in learning more about deer management in their community, and 43 percent are interested in participating in decisions about deer management.
• Almost all respondents (98 percent) indicated that they want some opportunity for local input in deer-management decisions.

Copies of "Deer Management in the Village of Cayuga Heights, New York: Preliminary Results from a Survey of Residents" is available at the municipality's village hall. The text is available on the web at http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/March99/CH-deer_survey.html. A publication by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), "Citizen's Guide to Suburban Deer Management," is available at DEC offices throughout the state.

"We are gratified by the high response rate and appreciate the time people took to complete the survey," said Cornell graduate student Lisa C. Chase of the 26-question survey she mailed to a randomly selected pool of 550 property owners. "This information should be of considerable interest to the DEC, the village board, and the Cayuga Heights Deer Committee."

The village's ad hoc deer committee was formed after residents expressed concern about deer damage and hazards. The committee is working with the DEC and Cornell Cooperative Extension to develop opportunities for the community to become more educated about deer management and involved in decisions in Cayuga Heights.

Daniel J. Decker, professor of natural resources and co-leader of Cornell's Human Dimensions Research Unit, noted the relatively high percentage of Cayuga Heights residents who do not enjoy the presence of deer in their neighborhood. "Studies of many stakeholders in deer management and in many locations over the last dozen years have not revealed this level of intolerance. Perhaps a threshold of tolerance has been crossed in this community," Decker said. In a similar survey conducted by Chase in Evergreen, Colo., only 1 percent of residents said they do not enjoy the presence of elk.

"Our research doesn't reveal any easy answers for managing deer in Cayuga Heights," Chase commented. "But at least we now have baseline information about people's attitudes toward deer management. That information can be helpful for developing educational programs and opportunities for involvement in deer management decisions."