Deer-culling plan meets opposition

[MartinBrody]

Not strictly firearms related but extremely relevant I think. This is in SE PA.

http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news....d=635398&rfi=6

Deer-culling plan meets opposition
By ANNE PICKERING, Staff Writer
07/24/2008

EAST GOSHEN - The township's plan to allow professional bow hunters to thin the deer population on 135 acres of open space behind several major subdivisions has many residents upset and led to a large turnout at Tuesday's board of supervisors' meeting.
"There are hundreds of children living in this neighborhood," said Kim Smedley, a mother of two who lives on Beaumont Circle in the Bow Tree subdivision.
"If someone is shot during the hunt, the township is going to get sued," she said.
Smedley also protested the lack of notice to the residents.
"You notify us if a cell phone tower is going up, but we have no idea that men with bows and arrows are going to be in our backyard. Please reconsider this," Smedley said.
About 100 residents packed the meeting hall at Goshen Fire Company for the continuation of the July 15 supervisors meeting, where the deer-management plan was on the agenda.
The supervisors approved a deer-management plan in April that would allow four professional deer hunting associations to cull deer from four areas during the fall deer bow-hunting season. The four areas are the Bow Tree and Clock Tower subdivisions, Grand Oak and Mill Creek subdivisions, Supplee Valley East and Supplee Valley West subdivisions and Wentworth. One group of hunters will be assigned to each area. When these subdivisions were built, the open space was dedicated to the township.
The deer management committee was formed in January 2007 to determine if the township has too many deer and what options the township has to deal with the problem.
Using aerial infrared technology, about 300 deer are estimated to live in the township, or 30 per square mile. The township estimates in 1995 there were 157 deer in the township, or 15 per square mile. A sustainable deer density for a suburban area is about four to 13 deer per square mile. The township would like to reduce the deer population to 1995 numbers by killing about 36 deer a year for 10 years.
But the plan has met considerable resistance chiefly because it is so close to populated areas.
The plan is that the hunters will only shoot deer from a tree stand high in a tree. Since the hunter is shooting downward, any arrow missing its mark would go into the ground. The area to be hunted would not be in anyone's backyard, but at least 150 feet from a house. That 150-foot boundary would be marked so hunters would not stray from their territory. Furthermore, the tree stands will be placed 150 feet back from the boundary.
But the residents say under the deer-management plan, the woods behind their houses are basically off limits six months of the year. That will be hard on the children who play in the woods.
"You know you tell teenagers not to go into the woods, and naturally, they have to go into the woods. And what about children who forget they are not supposed to go into the woods?" asked Karen Galese, a real estate broker and appraiser who has been in business for 30 years.
According to state law, a seller has to notify a prospective buyer of "any material defect with the property that would have a significant adverse impact or involves an unreasonable risk to people on the land."
"So a seller has to divulge that their property is next to a deer management area," said Galese. "Bow Tree and Clock Tower are in high demand, but when this gets out, people won't want to buy property."
Not everyone at the meeting was opposed to hunting.
Senya Isayeff, who is chairman of the planning commission, said he was much more worried about crashes with deer.
"In the 30 years I've been driving, I've had two accidents with deer," Isayeff said, noting that there have been several highly publicized events involving fatal car crashes because of deer.
"I wait up every night for my daughter to get home because of the deer," he said.
The township said 81 deer had been killed this year in car/deer collisions.
John Gaul, a resident of Park Avenue, defended the deer-management committee, saying he had attended the meetings. A lot of the key points have been addresssed in the township newsletters, he said.
"I've heard the presentations of many of these groups (deer hunters). They are as concerned about safety as anyone. Most of the hunters have experience doing this throughout southeast Pennsylvania. The people on the committee have put in hundreds of their hours to try and come to a reasonable solution," said Gaul.
The issue of deer contraception was addressed by Supervisors' Chairman Martin Shane. He said he had discussed it with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and it was only being used on confined herds that were part of a research project.
"It cannot work for a free-ranging herd, and it's not available," Shane said.
The hunting groups that have been selected by the township have not had any accidents, he said. Shane encouraged the residents to meet with the hunters.
"We are convinced that we are doing the best for our township for the health, safety and welfare of East Goshen," said Shane.
Township Manager Rick Smith said the hunters' shooting schedule will be posted on the township Website. While the bow hunting season is from September to January six days a week, Smith said, it was highly unlikely there would be hunters out every day.
The township plans to ask the solicitor to develop an ordinance for the plan and there will be a public hearing for the ordinance.
To contact staff writer Anne Pickering, send an e-mail to apickering@dailylocal.com.

[soup]

My GF told me about this the other day. Even she said the homeowners were being ridiculous and they should allow the hunt lol

[Dredly]

hahaha People amaze me.

for 1 the LEGAL range from a house is 50 yards (150 feet as listed) thats set by the PGC. In addition they are extending this to 100 yards (300 feet) out of courtesy.

I'm curious how these guys think removing 36 deer a year will reduce the 30 deer / sq mile to 15 deer / sq mile over 10 years...

if we assume 2/3 of the herd is doe thats at least 150 - 200 fawns a year...

in 10 years thats a net add of 1500 - 2000 deer. hunters will remove 360 total over 10 years.

hope they plan on LOTS of deer being killed by cars

How much ya wanna bet those people complaining are NOT the people hitting deer with their cars, having their grass and hedges destroyed, and dealing with their pets being kept inside to keep from attacking them.

[JDC]

Once their kids get Lyme disease they will change their tune real quick and welcome hunters into their woods.

[Keith4001r]

It's not like the hunters will be shooting sheep...


Keith
PAFOA PROUD!

[MartinBrody]

This is the followup story...Won't somebody please think of the children!

http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news....d=635398&rfi=6

As neighbors object, East Goshen OKs hunt
By ANNE PICKERING, Staff Writer
08/05/2008

EAST GOSHEN - The hunt's on.
Township supervisors voted 4-1 Monday night to amend an ordinance and allow hunting on township land as part of a deer management plan.
During the four-hour meeting, residents opposed to the plan raised concerns as more than 125 people packed the meeting room at East High School.
Supervisor Carmen Battavio cast the lone vote opposed to the hunt. "I personally have concerns with the program. I see no end to the controversy," he said.
In a second vote, the supervisors agreed 5-0 to adopt and implement a deer-management program, as set forth on July 19.
"It's reckless and irresponsible on the part of the supervisors, who are supposed to be representing our interests," said Bow Tree Drive resident Patricia Thibault.
The township formed a deer management committee in January 2007 to explore whether the township has a deer problem and to make recommendations.
An infrared aerial survey of the township's deer population in 2007 found about 300 deer. In 1995, the township had about 157 deer.
A sustainable deer density for a suburban area is about four to 13 deer per square mile. The township estimates that if 36 deer are harvested every year for 10 years, the deer population would return to 1995 levels.
But when officials released a plan to harvest deer in 135 acres of open land associated with seven residential communities, residents objected to a hunt so close to their homes. Residents of the some of the affected neighborhoods started a Web site, www.safetyfirstforeastgoshen.org, to gather support.
About 300 people opposing the township's deer management plan have signed a petition through the Web site.
To contact staff writer Anne Pickering, send an e-mail to apickering@dailylocal.com.

[JIMMYC308]

This is the kind of crap we deal with all the time down in special regs areas. I work in these developments all the time and for the one or two homeowners who know there is a problem, there are double the tree huggers who can't understand that their home was plopped down right where the deer used to live. I can't tell you how many times I was told: "I would let you hunt here but my neighbor will probably call the cops on you". One good hit to their BMW or Mercedes usually changes their mind.

[Dredly]

This is the kind of crap we deal with all the time down in special regs areas. I work in these developments all the time and for the one or two homeowners who know there is a problem, there are double the tree huggers who can't understand that their home was plopped down right where the deer used to live. I can't tell you how many times I was told: "I would let you hunt here but my neighbor will probably call the cops on you". One good hit to their BMW or Mercedes usually changes their mind.

We aren't there yet up here but Its coming... my buddy lives in a development with some wooded area in the middle... they have a heard of no less then 25 deer that just wander around and eat whatever they want... neighbors complain but at the first mention of hunting behind their house instantly it changes to no no we like the deer...

make up your mind. either you want them eating your garden and plants or you don't. There is no middle ground unless you want to mesh fence everything!

[JIMMYC308]

We aren't there yet up here but Its coming... my buddy lives in a development with some wooded area in the middle... they have a heard of no less then 25 deer that just wander around and eat whatever they want... neighbors complain but at the first mention of hunting behind their house instantly it changes to no no we like the deer...

make up your mind. either you want them eating your garden and plants or you don't. There is no middle ground unless you want to mesh fence everything!

I think down here a lot of people think of us as crazed whackos that will shoot at anything that moves. I've seen quite a few homes with the deer fencing and to me it kind of looks like jurassic park.