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Deer committee launches public "DEER dashboard," outlines hunting-list and survey results
Summary
The city's Deer Herd Monitoring and Control Committee reported lower aerial-survey counts and launched a public "DEER dashboard," said it will post a hunters' registry and hold a pre-season workshop; committee emphasized homeowner-hunter agreements and data collection.
The Hendersonville Deer Herd Monitoring and Control Committee presented an update May 27 on the city's deer-management efforts, including the rollout of a public "DEER dashboard," the planned hunters' registry, survey results from USDA aerial counts and next steps such as a pre-season educational workshop.
Committee chair Gerald Barrett told the Board the dashboard is live on the city website and is intended to make the committee's data transparent. He said the committee will publish a hunters' registry where hunters may list qualifications (licensing, training, references) so homeowners seeking a hunter for their property can choose among volunteers. Barrett said the city will publish a disclaimer that it is a conduit only and that listing does not constitute a city endorsement.
Survey results and hotspots - USDA aerial survey work reported a citywide density reported in the presentation as about 16.7 deer per square mile, roughly in line with the state average when adjusted for urban/rural differences. - Hot spots remain on the Saunders Ferry Peninsula (about 27.5 deer/sq. mi., 151 deer observed across ~5.5 sq. miles), the Indian Lake Peninsula (about 36.3 deer/sq. mi.), and an area around Country Hills Golf Course and Windbrook/Country Hills (reported locally as high as about 49.6 deer/sq. mi. in a small zone).
Committee guidance and next steps - The committee said it will encourage homeowners to ask hunters to report harvests and to focus harvest on female deer to reduce population growth. - The committee plans a bow-proficiency workshop and an educational deer workshop before hunting season. The next aerial survey is scheduled for November 2025. - Barrett said the committee will keep updating the dashboard and will post the hunters' registry in the coming months; a disclaimer will explain the registry is informational only.
Why this matters: The committee framed the plan as a data-driven, volunteer-assisted approach that works with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) guidance. The committee and several aldermen emphasized that accurate harvest reporting by homeowners and hunters is essential for tracking population trends.
Speakers and attribution - Gerald Barrett, Deer Herd Monitoring and Control Committee (presenter) - Officer Hackett (police liaison, provided operational support) - Jay Ridenbach (citizen volunteer/research contributor) and committee members were acknowledged by Barrett for research and outreach assistance.
Quotations - "The DEER dashboard has been launched," Gerald Barrett said during his presentation, urging residents to review the online statistics.
Implementation notes - The committee will post the pending hunters' registry and run an educational workshop before the 2025 hunting season; staff will assist with website and logistics. The committee scheduled the next aerial survey for November 2025.
