the staff of the Ridgewood blog
SADDLE RIVER, NJ — Attention deer of Saddle River: it may be time to dust off your resumes and seek greener pastures.
The borough is once again sharpening its arrows—literally—as it reboots its wildly controversial deer culling program. Why? Because a spring drone survey revealed that Saddle River is hosting a white-tailed deer rager—over four times the recommended ecological guest list.
Conducted in April with thermal imaging tech straight out of a sci-fi flick, the survey spotted 228 deer frolicking in the borough’s 5.38 square miles. That’s 42 deer per square mile, quadrupling the 10-deer-per-mile limit that local animal control folks set back when this whole saga began in 2018. (Guess the deer didn’t get the memo.)
Why So Many Deer, Anyway?
According to Mayor Albert Kurpis, the deer boom isn’t just ruining flower beds—it’s turning backyards into Lyme disease launchpads and sending Bambi into oncoming traffic.
“This data will guide regional deer management strategies to restore balance and reduce property damage and Lyme disease risk,” Kurpis said in the borough’s summer newsletter, as if quoting from a National Geographic documentary titled When Deer Attack: Suburban Edition.
To Cull or Not to Cull: That Is the Question
The culling, which involves the United Bow Hunters (the Avengers of venison, if you will), is the only program of its kind in Bergen County. But it’s not without drama. Protests by animal rights groups have become as annual as the deer season itself.
The Animal Protection League of New Jersey insists that the cull causes deer to panic-run into the roads (bad for cars, worse for deer) and argues that “new deer just move in anyway.” Kind of like out-of-towners crashing your house party after the cops show up.
Their proposed fix? Deer-resistant plants, fences, repellents—and that unicorn of suburban wildlife control: a capture-and-spay program. That idea was unfortunately swatted down by the New Jersey DEP back in 2018. Apparently, tranquilizing deer and performing woodland surgery is frowned upon.
How Much Does This Cost, You Ask?
The program runs about $5,500 a season, mostly spent on renting a refrigerated trailer (yes, really) to store the harvested deer. The hunters get to keep most of their prizes, though up to 15% of the meat is donated to Hunters Helping the Hungry. It’s a circle-of-life thing—with a charitable twist.
What’s Next?
While regional mayors have met to talk shop on broader deer control, no county-wide solution has emerged. With 38 Bergen County parks and 9,000 acres of deer paradise, the borough is left to handle its own wildlife woes.
In the meantime, residents continue to debate: Are deer majestic emblems of Saddle River’s rural charm… or plant-destroying, car-smashing, tick-carrying menaces in disguise?
As for the deer, we imagine they’re out there right now—plotting their next move.
Got opinions on the deer debate?
Whether you’re Team Antler or Team Tulips, drop a comment and join the conversation. And please, drive carefully. They’re not great with crosswalks.
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
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get rid of MOST of the f….ing deer.
Please come to Ridgewood and save us, UBH!!
Our richer neighbors to the north should try “No Mow May.”
Worked really well here in our “quaint village.”