Understory and ground cover severely impacted by deer. A browse line is evident. Return to Table of Contents Lyme Disease Lyme disease is an infectious illness that is transmitted to animals and humans by the bite of a tick. Symptoms can resemble the flu, severe arthritis and even Alzheimer's disease. When caught early, Lyme disease is easily treated with antibiotics.
Deer ticks feed on many animals including mice, rabbits and domestic animals.
While there is evidence that an increased deer population can increase the number of deer ticks in an area, there is also good evidence that once ticks are present, reducing deer numbers often has only a slight effect on reducing the numbers of ticks. The best defense against this disease is protection against the ticks. The growing concern about deer-related problems over the past decade indicates that deer populations in some areas of Montgomery County have increased beyond what humans will tolerate. There are also concerns about the damage deer might be causing to natural communities in our parks. These methods alone, however, do little to resolve the problem of overpopulation.