Are there currently non-lethal methods of deer population control available to reduce the local deer population?
No. Immunocontraception, or “fertility control” drugs, are not permitted for legal use in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is the regulatory agency responsible for the regulation and enforcement of wildlife-related laws and restrictions on wildlife management or research. It is at the discretion of DGIF to grant permission and special permit to conduct research on the experimental use of immunocontraceptive drugs. Immunoctraceptive drugs are not currently approved for commercial use on wild free-roaming deer. Deer fertility control technology has been researched over the past few decades. Two drugs currently exist as a form of birth control to suppress fertility in adult female deer: PZP and GonaCon. PZP was first developed in 1972. PZP has not gained FDA or EPA approval for experimental or commercial use on deer. GonaCon is the newest immunocontraceptive drug and was developed in 1998. It was granted EPA approval for experimental use by hand injection onl
