USA: Deer cost South Carolina farmers greatly, getting worse

Cory Heaton received more calls in 2023 from farmers on deer damage to South Carolina crops in all of his 23 years working as a Clemson University wildlife specialist. The numbers are staggering. Research by Clemson University pegs the estimated loss to cotton, soybean, and peanut farmers was roughly $114 million in 2022. Heaton points out the $114 million figure does not include expenses for deer induced replating, additional herbicide applications, additional repellents, and other such costs. He notes the figures are crude extrapolations and should be considered very crude estimates given the limited data currently available. He said the good news is Clemson researchers are seeking solutions to the problem. “Each year the first thing that we have tried to focus on is determining how many deer are actually out there. We set up these survey routes in rural areas of the state. We are not just counting deer in the fields. We have established survey routes that we have set out and ...