CDFW Approves Controversial Eradication of Mule Deer on Catalina Island

In a move that has ignited fierce debate within the hunting and conservation communities, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has approved the Catalina Island Conservancy’s restoration management permit to eradicate the island’s entire population of invasive mule deer. This decision, made in late January 2026, allows for the systematic removal of an estimated 1,800 to 2,000 mule deer over a five-year period using professional ground-based hunters equipped with rifles. For hunters who have long valued Catalina as a unique destination for pursuing these animals, this marks the potential end of an era, while raising broader questions about wildlife management and ecosystem restoration.

The mule deer were first introduced to Catalina Island in the 1920s and 1930s primarily for sport hunting, quickly establishing a thriving population that has since exploded. Over the decades, regulated hunting seasons have been a staple on the island, with an average of 244 deer harvested annually in recent years—representing only about 13% of the population and failing to curb growth or mitigate ecological damage. The Conservancy argues that the deer, now considered invasive, have devastated native vegetation, including rare endemic plants, and contributed to increased wildfire risks by promoting flammable invasive grasses over fire-resistant native shrubs.

“Independent research shows the opposite [of deer reducing fire risk] and indicates that non-native mule deer devour native seedlings that resist fire, clearing the way for invasive, dry grasses that burn like gasoline,” stated the Catalina Island Conservancy in a recent announcement. The organization emphasizes that alternatives like relocation, sterilization, or expanded recreational hunting have been exhaustively reviewed and deemed unfeasible. “With 42 years of hunting data, recreational hunting has not controlled the population,” they added, highlighting the need for lethal removal to protect the island’s biodiversity and human safety.

However, this plan has drawn sharp criticism from hunting organizations, who view it as an overreach that ignores proven management strategies and eliminates a valuable hunting resource. The Safari Club International (SCI) has been vocal in its opposition, with SCI CEO W. Laird Hamberlin stating, “If Governor Newsom and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife care about science-based conservation, they will reject the Catalina Island Conservancy’s foolish mule deer eradication proposal immediately. Proper management of the mule deer population via regulated hunting and other tried-and-true methods, not ill-founded aerial slaughter, will ensure ecological harmony on Catalina Island.” Although the plan has shifted from aerial sharpshooting to ground-based methods following public outcry in 2024, SCI’s California Coalition Legislative Coordinator Lisa McNamee noted, “Mule deer have thrived on the Island for a century, while thousands of sportsmen and women have participated in regulated hunting seasons since then.”

The Sportsmen’s Alliance echoed these sentiments, urging CDFW to deny the permit and criticizing the lack of credible science supporting full eradication. Other groups, including the California Bowmen Hunters/State Archery Association, have also opposed the plan, advocating for sustainable management over total removal. Even beyond hunting circles, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn has repeatedly voiced concerns, calling the approach “drastic and inhumane” and suggesting alternatives like maintaining a smaller population of around 200 deer. Hahn’s office highlighted worries about potential increases in wildfire risk if deer are removed, though the Conservancy counters this with scientific evidence showing the deer’s role in exacerbating fires.