Catalina Islands deer are a valued part of the island’s natural and cultural landscape ecosystem balance.
We are residents of Catalina Island, which is located 21 miles off the coast of Southern California.
WHO ARE WE
The Catalina Island Conservancy had applied to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for a Permit which would have allowed the Conservancy to use AR-15 rifles from helicopters to kill 100% of the Catalina Island mule deer. They planned to leave the majority of the dead carcasses to rot where they lay. It’s as horrendous as it sounds.
WHY WE ARE HERE
After our communities long hard fought fight, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife officially denied the Catalina Island Conservancy’s request for a “Scientific Collection” permit to use AR-15 rifles from helicopters to eradicate the mule deer population on Catalina Island.
In response, the Conservancy has filed a new “Restoration Management Permit” application to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to bring in another form of helicopter assisted killing, using aerial platforms for detection, pursuit and dispatch. Net guns, drive nets and drop nets to entangle and trap terrified deer. Trained dogs to chase, corner and flush out the deer for “dispatch”.
If you are as outraged as our community, along with 132,821 people from all over the United States who have signed petitions, please click on this link to watch Killing Catalina a 2026 documentary by Howl for Wildlife that investigates the controversial proposal to eradicate 100% of the mule deer on Catalina Island.
These individuals the Catalina Island Conservancy has hired from White Buffalo are not ordinary hunters that harvest and feed their families with the meat. Their sole purpose is to kill the deer and dispose of their bodies.
The Catalina Island Conservancy stated “In remote hills, carcasses will be left to decompose naturally”
STOP the Catalina Island Conservancy’s multi million dollar contract with the brutal deer management company - White Buffalo, Inc. Go to this link to watch the video of unethical practices (warning, this video is graphic).
At the June 19, 2018 Avalon City Council Meeting, Tony Budrovich, former President and CEO of the Catalina Island Conservancy stated "We've worked with a variety of people in the scientific community and they have established that the island would probably very easily carry 500 deer. That seems like the right number for 48,000 acres”. Click on this link to hear Tony in his own words.
TWO PEOPLE CAN STOP THE CONSERVANCY FROM KILLING 100% OF THE THE DEER ON THE CATALINA
Please write Governor Gavin Newsom, asking him to oppose the Catalina Island Conservancy’s plan. In addition to Governor Newsom, I am encouraging you to write to Alison Wrigley Rusack/Benfactor of the Catalina Island Conservancy. Click on their names above to link to their email.
FACTS MATTER! (go to the Facts Matter menu) Explore documentation that shows serious concerns around the Conservancy’s plan. Money and power are trying to silence the community of Avalon, Visitors and over 129,660 people who have signed petitions against this atrocity. Go to “Join in This Cause” on the top menu to sign the petitions.
Honest, reliable deer counts must be done before creating a plan. Thermal deer counts using drones are generally superior to traditional spotlight surveys in terms of count accuracy. Honest and reliable counts are not what we are getting from the Catalina Island Conservancy.
When considering ways to address the deer population on Catalina Island, it is crucial to explore various strategies that are both effective and humane. Prioritize non-lethal measures when they can meet objectives without compromising the deer’s welfare or island ecology
ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVES
A responsible, humanely managed hunting program for local residents and hunters, who harvest deer for their meat rather than allowing carcasses to decompose, which can cause disease risk and unsightly carcass buildup. This program keeps the herds at a sustainable size, and is a humane alternative to leaving animals to suffer and die.
Exclosures and “Deer Fencing” around native vegetation
Designating safe zones where deer can forage without conflict, reducing pressure on sensitive habitats elsewhere on the island.
Sterilization
Relocation