By VICKI URBANIK

The annual deer survey at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has once again showed no statistical change in the local deer population, while vegetation data showed no impact to plants from deer, either.

Nevertheless, in light of deer-related problems elsewhere in the dunes, the National Lakeshore is proceeding with a study on deer management options in order to take action if and when it becomes necessary.

“We don’t want to get in a situation where we see impacts to the vegetation and then start an environmental impact statement, because that can take a couple of years,” said National Lakeshore Superintendent Dale Engquist.

He noted the court challenges in response to the deer hunts and culls at the Indiana Dunes State Park, Dune Acres and Beverly Shores and said he would expect the same opposition if a cull is proposed at the National Lakeshore. He said by acting now, all court challenges could be over with by the time the park would need to proceed with its plans.

The National Lakeshore intends to issue a “notice of intent” later this year for a formal environmental impact statement that will analyze alternatives for deer population management and recommend a preferred option. Public input will be part of the process.

The overall objective of the EIS will be to maintain a healthy deer population, to maintain and increase plant diversity, and to insure the long-term health of the park’s ecosystem as a whole, according to Engquist’s spring quarterly report.

Engquist estimates that if the notice is released by this fall, the EIS could take a year or more to complete.

So far, the research seems to indicate no urgent need for deer control measures.

For the past 11 years, the National Lakeshore has conducted deer spotlight surveys intended to gauge long-term trends in the deer population.

This year’s count showed 77 deer over a five-day average, down from last year’s count of 99.

The previous counts, beginning with 1991 but excluding 1994 when no survey was done, are: 56, 64, 57, 75, 69, 61, 86, 91 and 99.

Resource Management Specialist Bob Daum said that statistically, those numbers show that there has been no significant change in the deer population. If one were to draw a line that takes into account an error margin of between 3 and 5 percent, that line would be about flat.

Daum said the situation would be different if the counts shot up to around 200 or dropped to 20 for several years in a row. But with the counts as they are, he said the National Lakeshore has no proof that the deer are increasing or declining.

The National Lakeshore also analyzed vegetation data and found no significant difference between the vegetation inside and outside plant exclosures.

That finding is in stark contrast to the situation at the adjacent Indiana Dunes State Park, where officials have said that deer have devastated large tracts of plants.

Engquist said he doesn’t have the expertise and would be reluctant to speculate on the difference in plant impacts between the two parks.

For the past three or so years, the National Lakeshore has also led, or has participated in, aerial infra red surveys that take an actual count of the deer. Engquist said the results for this year’s survey, which encompassed most of the park’s East Unit, are expected soon.

Engquist said the EIS will look at all available deer management options before making a recommendation.

Hunting is banned in national parks, unless specifically allowed by the federal law pertaining to each park. For example, hunting is allowed at Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore in Michigan, but is banned at the National Lakeshore.

The National Lakeshore could, however, have a deer cull, using a sharpshooter to take out select deer. There is also no restriction against the use of deer contraceptives, which will also be studied as part of the EIS, Engquist said.

The deer management data is one of the numerous topics contained in Engquist’s quarterly operations report, available online at www.nps.gov/indu or at the park’s headquarters on Mineral Springs Road in Porter and the Dorothy Buell Memorial Visitor Center at U.S. 12 and Kemil Road.