In 2014, the Kentucky General Assembly passed HB 448- an act relating to destruction of crops on farms by wildlife.

This bill allowed landowners, their spouses, dependent children, or their designees to kill or trap on their lands any wildlife causing damage to the lands or personal property without a tag; allowed for disposal of the carcass on-site, required inedible parts from wildlife not to be utilized for any purpose, and required inedible parts from wildlife to be destroyed or left afield.

It also allowed the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to promulgate regulations establishing procedures for the designee appointment process and for allowing landowners to remove a carcass in a timely manner to allow for processing.

All this came to pass because of the enormous losses farmers were incurring due to wildlife damage to their crops. And it is not just because of one species but a variety including deer, turkey, racoons, and occasionally bears. And since this legislation was enacted, damage from bears has become more frequent.

Regardless of what animal is causing damages, the fact is farmers still lose money each year from these wildlife damages.

Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) President Mark Haney said he thinks some crop damage is inevitable due to these animals looking for food sources but striking a balance between wildlife habitat and agricultural production could be key to helping to ease some of the issues.

“As an orchard owner, we are constantly seeing damage to our crops caused by wildlife and to an extent we have accepted some of this,” he said. “But, due to increases in wildlife populations that have become more accustomed to being around humans, we need to continually look for ways to help our farm families alleviate some of this damage.”

One of those ways, includes working with other agencies through a broad spectrum of programs and projects that go beyond the fencerows including the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR).  

KDFWR Commissioner Rich Storm, a cattle, grain, and hay producer himself, understands the plight of the farm families when it comes to wildlife damage, but he also sees ways to help balance the existence of the wildlife while helping to ease the situation with crop losses especially when it comes to the deer population.

“It should be noted that 95 percent of woodlands in this state are on private property and so, I would be remiss if we didn’t talk about forest management,” he said. “There is potential in that timber whether it is with bedding or a great food source, so deer don't have to come out and eat on the crops.”

Storm noted that plants per square foot in your forest are important, and he is a firm believer that a big untapped part of agriculture is forestry.

“There's an opportunity there with forestry that a lot of people don't consider farming, but what I found the most interesting through a logging project on my own farm is, it's going to enhance the number of animals we can hold, and honestly, we made more money off this logging project than we did in decades of cropping,” he said.

Unfortunately, in years gone by, urban growth and housing began to move into many wooded areas, obviously taking over farmland as well as any natural feeding areas for wildlife. And while many homeowners who live on the cusp of wooded areas and farmland, may enjoy the sight of wildlife, situations have been created that have taken the place of good conservation measures.

Conservation is key

As is the case with farming, conservation practices are at the heart of what the Fish and Wildlife folks do on a daily basis. Enhancing areas that promote wildlife populations helps the growth of wildlife populations, which in turn helps hunters who are harvesting these animals, and ultimately all of that can benefit the farmer. 

“The more I've learned about conservation, I see what a beautiful thing it is when you balance wildlife populations,” Storm said. “Farmers are happy, hunters are happy, landowners are happy; even those in subdivision's are happy. So, I hope that Kentuckians will recognize the importance of hunting and find ways where we can get people involved.”

Storm added that farmers can always get conservation information from KDFWR private lands biologists by calling 1-800-858-1549.

Hand-in-hand with hunters

In addition to helping strike the balance between wildlife, hunters, and farmers, many of whom are also hunters, an added benefit is the opportunity to positively affect food insecurity. Thanks to groups like “Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry,” (KHFH) harvested deer are making their way to food banks across the state.

In fact, KFB has made KHFH a beneficiary of its annual “Clays for a Cause” event which directs proceeds directly to organizations that are helping to alleviate food insecurity throughout Kentucky.

“Helping fellow Kentuckians, whether it be with daily food insecurities or during times of crisis, encompasses the heart of the Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry Organization,” said Roger LaPointe, KHFH Executive Director. “Clays for a Cause provides an opportunity for Kentucky sportsmen to continue to serve their fellow Kentuckians through their cherished hunting heritage.”

For landowners who need help with controlling deer populations, KHFH has created a program in conjunction with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Kentucky Whitetail Access” is a free service that matches landowners with hunters.

To sign up for this program, go to https://kyhuntersforthehungry.info.

 

Old school technology

Kevin Smith, a corn and soybean producer from Shelby County, farms acreage in multiple counties including his family’s farm in Franklin County. He has long had issues with wildlife damage to his crops some of which are in areas close to subdivisions.

Knowing that hunting in some of these places may be difficult, he has turned to some old school technology to help ward off the deer which have turned portions of his crops into dinner buffets. 

“I have been using scarecrows in certain areas to scare away the deer,” he said. “They help some but with the populations so big, it’s really become a problem. The beans just can’t grow fast enough to stay ahead of the deer pressure.”

Smith ties things like dryer sheets to the scarecrows to help create a smell the deer are unfamiliar with hopes that will help.

“I expect to lose about $50,000 in crop revenue due to the damage the deer are causing this year so, I will have to designate some people to come in and harvest them for those in need of food, but that’s about all I can do at this point,” he said.

Scarecrows have long been used by farmers and gardeners to keep animals out of their crops. Smith is using the familiar kind with clothes and hats on wooden frames. But modern technology has entered the scarecrow sector with devices that have lasers or sound generators to help scare away unwanted animals.

Whatever method is used, farmers are trying different approaches to help with the issue. However, hunting may be the best way to keep populations under control and out of the crops.

Helping the farmer

Storm said he knows it is frustrating to farmers to have these issues and he wants to make sure he does all he can to help them

“Our division wants to be helpful, as helpful as possible, making sure farmers can farm, they can do what they need to do, and that wildlife aren't an impediment on their business, their financial situation, or growing their farm,” he said. “I've been a farmer my whole life, and I love it. And I really believe that it's a privilege to not only be able to farm, but to enjoy the wild resources that come with that property and being able to manage it.”