Richmond's suburbs have too many deer and too few hunters
Richmond has a deer problem — and fewer hunters to help keep the population in check, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources . Why it matters: As Richmond's suburbs expand, deer are finding refuge in neighborhoods where hunting is limited, making them harder to control. And deer, it turns out, aren't always the best neighbors. Too many can lead to car crashes , property damage and even health problems for the animals themselves, per state wildlife officials. State of play: Wildlife officials are trying to reduce deer populations in parts of the Richmond region — and much of the state. Woods, parks, golf courses and backyard gardens provide plenty of food and shelter, Justin Folks, deer project leader for DWR, tells Axios. Meanwhile: Virginia has 19% fewer licensed deer hunters than a decade ago, and suburban development is limiting where they can hunt, per DWR . What they're saying: "You've got people that are having conflicts with deer and want to declare war on all of them, and then right next door you've got someone that's got a name for every single deer in the neighborhood," Folks says. By the numbers: Hunters killed at least 5,035 deer in
