Supplementalreportwithaddons 2

There was again a large number of antlered deer harvested. Of the 75 total males, 49% (3 7 deer) were antlered, similar to the 48% in 2020 and 49% in 2019, but greatly more than the 23% in 2018. Another 26 males had shed their antlers, and 12 were button bucks (fawns). • At South Mountain Reservation, 25 of the 93 total deer killed (27%) were male or female fawns, which was a slight decrease from the 30%. And at the Hilltop Property, 9 of the 59 total deer harvested (15%) were in that age category, a huge drop from the 58% in 2020 and even the 37% ratio in 2019. Program Costs Direct costs to the County of Essex for the operation of the Essex County Deer Management Program in 2023 were as follows: Personnel overtime Park Maintenance Sheriffs Department $ 40,121.42 22,324.08 Contracted services Wildlife Management Consultant Butchering fees 11,000.00 14,345.00 Expendable materials & durable equipment Bait (whole corn) Food Ammunition Baiting & processing equipment 2,000.00 6,520.00 1,300.00 3,199.72 Newspaper advertisements Postcard printing & mailing 865.87 7,909.11 109,585.20 TOT AL program costs As shown, the total direct program costs amounted to $109,585.20. With 152 deer having been removed, this expense equates to a cost of $720.96 per deer. Over the 14 seasons of hunting conducted since 2008, costs have ranged from a low of $412 per deer (2008) to a high of $1,044.58 (2020), with an average of $642.26 per deer. Generally the cost per deer is proportionate to the total number of deer culled, as the fixed costs get spread out over more or less total deer harvested (see Appendix G). 20