Unfortunately, since the contraceptive would be destroyed in the gastrointestinal system, it must be given by injection. That entails shooting does with a dart from close range at least once a year. While the small percentage of relatively tame does are easy to hit, it's difficult to dart the reclusive ones. Although the exact cost depends on the situation, Porter says contraception is generally much more expensive than shooting. For one thing, shooting reduces the actual number of animals, while contraception merely limits their increase.
Shooters can also work from a greater distance.
And dead animals won't need contraception next year. Shooting should not be confused with hunting. The idea is not to give the deer a chance, but to shoot them in the head from close range, so they die quickly and with relatively little suffering. You guarantee that if the animal is not hit, the bullet will go into the ground. Ludwig says the district has been shooting deer since 1992 in about 10,000 acres of forest preserves.