DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md. -- Herds of Sika Deer are decimating acres of crops. A local farmer tells us he's growing sick and tired of the pesky animals and the financial burden they've placed on him.
Wendell Meekins operates more than a dozen farms across Delmarva. On Thursday, we took a ride with him to one of his properties near Cambridge, where he showed us just how much damage Sika Deer had caused.
"As you can see, they have devastated tens of thousands of dollars of revenue-producing corn crop in this field," said Meekins, pointing out the heavily damaged field in front of us.
For reference, undamaged corn typically stands around eight feet tall. Well, as Meekins walked through the ravaged field, most of the plants barely reached his thighs.
He said all the damage has occurred within the past seven to 10 days.
"They've ate it to where it won't populate anymore, it won't pollinate and it's not going to make an ear," said Meekins. "It's 100% a weed now."
According to Maryland's Department of Natural Resources, the Sika Deer population "appears to be low enough to ensure crop damage is minimized."
Meekins disagrees with that assessment.
"You look here, and you tell me, is this not invasive?"Meekins asked, again pointing to a heavily damaged area of his cornfield.
Now, he does have a few tools at his disposal. He can hunt the Sika Deer, although he can only do so for half an hour after sunrise and half an hour before sunset.
Even then, he said it's a challenging task.
"Imagine you're trying to hunt something that's only this tall," said Meekins, gesturing just above his knees. "You can't see them, they can walk right through here."
Meekins estimates that his entire profit for the year is gone. Still, because his yield will likely allow him to break even, he won't get a dime from his insurance company.
He also knows he's not the only farmer struggling.
"I'm one farmer of hundreds in Dorchester County who have at least this much damage, if not more from these noxious pests," said Meekins.
In terms of a solution, Meekins would like to see the state step in, similarly to when it took care of the Nutria problem in Dorchester County.
Or he would like the state to reimburse him for his losses. The state charges out-of-state residents $200 to hunt Sika Deer. According to Meekins, as of January, 2024, the state had sold 3,200 stamps for $640,000.
"That money, and more money, should come back as revenue loss payments to farmers like me," said Meekins.