
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, November 20, 1995                   TAG: 9511200059
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: GREAT FALLS                                LENGTH: Short

DEER, FORCED OUT OF NATURAL HABITAT, INVADE SUBURBS

Pushed out of their natural habitat by increased construction, deer have been causing a spate of traffic accidents and munching on suburban landscaping.

Brazen deer have devoured everything from grapes to ornamental shrubs in several Great Falls neighborhoods.

``They come through my yard almost every day,'' said Ted Rademaker, who has lived in Great Falls since 1966 but only recently started encountering deer in person. ``They were always shy before. Now they're kind of casual.

``I go out to shoo them away, and it's like, `What are you going to do about it, buddy?'''

Loudoun County sheriff's deputies have been responding to at least one deer-related car accident a night, some of which have resulted in injuries and totaled cars.

There are about 900,000 deer in the state, with 45,000 in Northern Virginia.

Roaming deer aren't new to Northern Virginia, but game officials said the herd is growing steadily because of restrictions on hunting and a lack of natural predators.

- Associated Press

by CNB