Urban Deer Population in the Cariboo Rising

Residents in the Cariboo will have to get used their newest furry neighbours.

You may have noticed more deer are adventuring into the heart of towns, and taking strolls through parks within city limits.

The Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship says municipalities across B.C. are experiencing a rise in their Urban Deer population, and it’s not only because of the coming spring season.

“Urban areas are attractive to deer because they often provide more security from predators and provide more sources to forage,” says Daniel Lirette, Wildlife Section Head for the Cariboo Region in the Ministry. “Deer in the northern climates are often limited by winter severity. These recent mild winters have contributed to higher survival rates, and the deer can produce more young.”

Quesnel and Williams Lake have seen an increase in its deer population both urbanly, and across their broader regions.

Between 2020 and 2024, Lirette says the West Fraser Transect near Quesnel has seen its fawn to adult population grow. In 2020, there was 21 fawns to adults per 100 deer in the region. In 2024, the number increased to 41.

The Soda Creek transect, north of Williams Lake has seen a larger increase in the same time frame. In 2020 to 2024, the number grew from 34 to 60 fawns to adults per 100 deer in the area.

The Ministry reports in 2020 and 2021, at transects in the Cariboo, 10 deer were sighted on average per kilometre. Whereas in 2024, the number doubled to an average of 22 deer sighted per kilometre.

Lirette says there is a “human shield factor” in towns that is protecting the deer. There are less predators roaming in towns, and the deer are less vulnerable to human hunting as well. However, he adds that with the deer surviving longer, they are staying around towns more.

“It’s sort of become learned behaviour in deer that in towns they have higher survival rates, and have more reproduction of their young. Then fawns learn this behaviour and pass it along to their young.”

Lirette says the milder winters have provided better reproducing conditions for deer as well.

There are programs the provincial government has in place to help municipalities manage urban deer populations. In 2016, the province launched a program that delivers $100,000 each year to help communities manage urban deer population. Another service through the BC Conservation Foundation, WildSafeBC also has tools and resources for conflict mitigation and reproduction reduction strategies.

However, Lirette says there is “no simple answer” when it comes to managing the deer.

He says we may just have to get used to the new locals.