[20 feet high]

Dear MDC,

I just read about the Town & Country decision to sterilize and sharp shoot deer as a population control measure. This seems very costly, inefficient and a poor method for population control. My question for the MDC, is there anyway that MDC could mandate that archery methods be allowed in areas that fail to control population and ultimately have to resort to such drastic measures? I understand not all property owners would allow hunting, but if MDC could show authority on these matters some landowners would allow hunting (otherwise illegal due to local ordinances). Afterall, many MDC resources and man hours were certainly used during the Town and Country debate, I know some will say MDC works for the State and TC is part of the state, but they do not allow hunting in TC so if MDC is called upon to help remedy TC problem, then MDC should be able to implement methods immediately that will help to have a continued effct to control the deer populations.

Thanks!

 

[MDC Deer]

Urban deer management is always a sensitive issue and what some may view as inefficient, when coupled with other methods may be effective in reducing deer numbers. Anytime lethal control is used then you have a quick reduction in the deer population. They were able to remove over 100 deer in a pretty short period. There is no question that intense and targeted sharpshooting can be effective and efficient at initially reducing deer numbers. The use of sterilization may be expensive but when compared to other contraceptive measures it is nearly 100% effective in making a doe infertile in one event which currently isn't possible with most contraceptive drugs approved for use on deer. Sterilization definitely affords them some flexibility in future management options. T&C approach is novel and just the first step in a long process. There will have to be a maintenance program put in place and what form that will take is unknown but they are moving in the right direction by first getting the population under control and then looking at ways to maintain the population at some lower level. MDC can't tell them to allow hunting that is up to the residents of T&C. But once the population is at an acceptable level then options like managed archery hunts can be considered. There is no one simple solution to managing urban deer, if there were then we wouldn't have urban deer issues.