Hunters and forest landowners prepare for conflict over apparent harm caused by deer population to forested properties
In the heart of the Baltic region, Latvia is grappling with an increasing red deer population and the associated forest damage. A meeting held on January 29, 2023, brought together various organisations, including JSC "Latvia's State Forests", the Ministry of Agriculture, State Forest Service, LLC "Riga Forests", Forest Research Station, Forest Owners Association, Latvian Hunters' Union, Latgale Hunters and Fishermen Association, Latvian Hunters Association, and "Farmers' Saeima", to discuss the issue.
The meeting was prompted by the concern over increasing deer damage, particularly in young forests, which has been a major issue in recent years. The deer population in Kurzeme, a region in western Latvia, has reached unprecedented levels, causing significant financial losses to farmers and forest owners.
Despite the high population, the deer hunting limit set by the Forest Service has not been met in Latvia for more than 20 consecutive seasons. In the last hunting season - 2023/2024 - 77% of the allowed red deer were hunted, falling short of the limit. The allowed number of red deer for hunting in Latvia for that season was 32,324.
The issue of the red deer population has been a topic of concern for over a decade. Over the past 10 years, Latvia's State Forests have observed a significant increase in the red deer population. This trend continued into the last two seasons, with a slight decrease noted, but not enough to alleviate the problem.
Current strategies and solutions in Latvia to address the increasing red deer population and the associated forest damage mainly involve intensified wildlife population management and balancing predator-prey dynamics.
Population management through intensified control is one approach being considered. Inspired by research on spatial variation in deer population dynamics under intensified management, similar principles are often applied to red deer populations in Europe, including Latvia. This involves targeted culling or regulated hunting aimed at maintaining deer population at levels compatible with forest ecosystem health.
Another solution being explored is the presence of natural predators like wolves. The recent observation of a wolf pack in the Seda bog area of Latvia suggests that maintaining or supporting natural predators could be a strategic solution to control red deer numbers naturally, as wolves prey on ungulates and thereby can help reduce overpopulation and consequent forest damage.
Recognition of increasing ungulate populations in Baltic countries, including Latvia, highlights a need for more active management policies combining hunting, habitat management, and predator protection. Lessons from other regions indicate that lack of consistent population control and trophy-oriented hunting can exacerbate conservation problems, implying that Latvia might consider more regulated hunting policies focused on population balance instead of trophy hunting.
In an effort to address the issue comprehensively, a new Memorandum of Cooperation has been established. The Ministry of Agriculture has tasked landowners, managers, and hunters to find solutions to reduce the deer population. Discussions are expected to follow on concrete solutions for the management of the red deer population.
Despite the challenges, the deer population in Kurzeme continues to pose headaches for hunters. The deer hunting limit set by the Forest Service has not been met for more than 20 years, indicating the need for immediate and effective action.
[1] Spatial variation in deer population dynamics under intensified management: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479717302293
- The meeting with diverse organisations, such as "Latvia's State Forests", the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Latvian Hunters' Union, aimed to discuss the increasing red deer population, particularly in Kurzeme, and the associated forest damage.
- Over the past decade, the red deer population in Latvia, as observed by Latvia's State Forests, has shown a significant increase, which has been a major problem in recent years.
- One strategy being considered to address the high red deer population is population management through intensified control, inspired by European research on spatial variation in deer population dynamics.
- In addition to population management, the presence of natural predators like wolves could be a strategic solution to control red deer numbers naturally in Latvia, as suggested by the recent observation of a wolf pack in the Seda bog area.
- To address the issue comprehensively, a new Memorandum of Cooperation has been established, tasking landowners, managers, and hunters to find solutions to reduce the deer population in Kurzeme, particularly since the hunting limit set by the Forest Service has not been met for over 20 years.
