Japan's Deer Problem

In Japan, the shika deer are revered and worshipped... but also culled in huge numbers (half a million in 2020).


Correction: Ayaka Hata and Shigeki Hirata are researchers from National Agriculture and Food Research Organization. (Not from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries)

Sources
- SENJOGAHARA The Hike in the Heart of a Protected Marsh

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[revdocjim]

I live and work in the heart of deer country in the mountains of central Japan. I hunt deer and also help out with a government sponsored culling program. On average I put about 15 to 20 deer worth of venison in the freezer every year. Since starting to hunt here in Japan about 6 years ago I don't think I've purchased red meat at the super market more than 2 or 3 times. Needless to say, I eat a lot of venison. I also give away lots and lots of it to friends.
There are no licensed processing plants nearby so commercial use of the meat is impossible. This past year we did start to supply a local startup with culled venison that they use to make dog treats and it is growing, but is still only a drop in the bucket. The culling operation I help with is focused on a prefectural park area that is not open to general hunting. It is a bit over 3, 000 acres in size and each year we cull close to 200 deer! Of those, perhaps 20 go to the dog food guy. I personally harvest meat from another 10 or 15. Sadly the rest are all disposed of. I come with a somewhat American hunter's perspective of not wanting any wildlife to go to waste so it's hard to watch. At the same time, the infrastructure for utilizing more of the meat simply doesn't exist here. Thanks for the balanced coverage of our problem.

[Elinalisism]

Comments
1yr ago: People talking fixing deer problems

Now: Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan

[onewingedangel]

I am thoroughly enjoying the fact that half the comments are helpful and empathetic hunters talking about deer populations and solutions in their homelands, and the other half of the comments are Noko-posting.

[nadishperanda]

Whoaa. I didn't expect nokotan friends are that destructive.

[ineedmorecarrots]

sees deer in thumbnail

checks comments immediately

[battlesheep]

Damn, i guess we do need to disband the deer club

[lonesoul]

Shikanoko anime really made look up this video.. and now I understand why she's so destructive xD

[francis_p]

Gee, I sure wonder why this shows up in my recommendations

[fanyoktavia]

Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan

[martinthomas]

“You deer!”- Shikanokonokonoko Koshitantan

[AleksClips]

the owner of the channel looking and puzzled on why this 1 year old video is spiking on views again

[caomouse]

"My deer friend, you ARE the problem"

[SomeSpicyBanana]

I've been watching too much deer anime brainrot. It led me here.

[jonmichaelgalindo]

Someone should make an anime about this.

[farhanyudaputra]

Huh, i for sure thought somebody was gonna comment that shikanoko meme thing here

[telanos]

This is not an uncommon story - where the apex predator no longer exists, and a herbivorous animal decimates plantlife as a result. Its good that this video (among others) is helping to bring awareness of the issue.
In Australia, there is a similar issue with the Kangaroo - and similarly, there have always been efforts to reduce 'waste' from the resulting culls - whether by selling kangaroo meat (often used as pet food, but also for human consumption), or use of its hide (it turns out kangaroo leather is incredibly durable).
So, it is truly unfortunate when "animal lovers" campaign to ban kangaroo products (as has happened in some US states), because they don't want cute animals to be culled - without any appreciation for the fact that the culling must take place to preserve the sustainability of the broader ecosystem.

[st.altair]

Counterpoint: Nokotan is very cute and deserves her own club

[kcln]

Shika noko tokotoko arawaru nokonoko
Tsuno tsuno pyoko pyoko mitame wa onya noko?
Chikagoro uwasa no nakanaka kiwamono
Otenami ikahodo hena choko?

[pharoahcaraboo]

reminds me a lot of yellowstone, after wolves had been hunted to extinction there. the people who lived there found, over time, the elk and deer ate away the underbrush and bark unfettered, had large population booms, which gradually began to eat away at the forests themselves. birds went away, small game left or was overhunted by coyotes, which similarly had population booms, and the landscape was becoming more barren to favor the deer and elk. when wolves were re-introduced... the problem fixed itself. sadly the japanese wolf is no longer with us, so it probably wouldn't be wise to bring european or american wolves to japan.

edit: man. this comment section is turning into a drinking game. comment from someone who just didn't watch the video? drink. comment from somebody who takes this comment and spins it into some political diatribe? drink. calm down folks.

[EmelieWaldken]

I really like how you presented the complexity of the problem. Deer are not BAD, humans are not BAD, hunters are not BAD... it's just COMPLICATED. A country/region needs processing facilities, customers aka a consumption habit, and then there's the problem of Japanese planted forests... Great video, thanks !