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Killing deer still necessary, Solon officials insist
(by Sue Reid - April 28, 2011)
Killing deer still necessary, Solon officials insist
By SUE REID
In researching the issue of deer management and consulting with experts on the topic, Solon Councilman William I. Russo said last week he's trying to look at the entire issue objectively.
Mr. Russo, who chairs City Council's safety and public properties committee, said, "I've done a lot of research," including reading information from the Cleveland Metroparks and that of trained experts in the field. The conclusion is that "you have to have a combination of options, and, unfortunately, they have to be lethal and nonlethal, which will include culling," he said. A complete nonlethal program simply won't work, he said.
Mr. Russo's committee is to be presented with a comprehensive deer-management program from the city administration at its next meeting, May 11. The committee's recommendation based on that will be forwarded to City Council for consideration.
"In order to control our deer population and do it cost effectively, we need a combination of lethal and nonlethal methods," he said.
"Counts rise when hunting ceases, and to think the deer population will level off, I just can't see that," Mr. Russo said.
"From what the department of wildlife mentioned, how the deer population has exploded over last 30, 40 years because hunting has been restricted and natural predators have disappeared, if we are only using nonlethal, that population will only continue to grow."
In regards to Solon residents gathering signatures to put a referendum on the November ballot prohibiting lethal forms of deer management, Mr. Russo said, "In my mind, I think that would effectively tie the city's hands in trying to address any future issues as the deer population continues to grow and thrive.
"God forbid we have an outbreak of Lyme disease," he said. "We would have no method of controlling that.
"There's a mix of people from Solon and outside of Solon who are pushing the nonlethal issue, which is fine, but when residents of Solon take a look at this, they're tired of people who don't live in the city telling us what we should be doing."
Mr. Russo said it is his opinion that, if the city would allow crossbow hunting on city properties in remote areas where deer are present, "I want to stress that this is not people running around Solon with bows and arrows, but using a crossbows off a platform."
He said that method would reduce the overall cost of a deer-management program, recognizing that the cost of culling alone is very expensive. Hunting with a crossbow would essentially be free for the city in that hunters will pay for permit, he said.
Mr. Russo said he also is looking for the use of Strieter-Lites as part of the program. "You can't put them throughout the city but can target them in areas where we find deer congregating," he said.
A comprehensive program also has to involve some education on what types of plants and shrubs to plant, Mr. Russo said. "Those are going to have to be incorporated in anything we put together."
Public Works Director James S. Stanek, who is to present the options to the safety committee, said each one will need discussed.
"If you want to mix lethal with nonlethal, we have to make sure what we would be using could be done that way," he said.
"On the face value of what we know about deer parks, they can't be used in lethal situations, at least where you will follow up and request a nuisance permit from the division of wildlife."
Hunting with a crossbow will be an option in selected areas, Mr. Stanek said. "There will be limits to some of these options where it makes sense it can be used.
"We will lay out the options and then look at some of the areas and decide on what works where and what won't work where," Mr. Stanek said. "That collectively becomes your program." Once a plan is drawn up, it does not have to "be your plan forever," he said.
The debate on the issues has to stop, Mr. Stanek said. It has resulted in a lot of "negative energy and wasted resources," he said.
"If we are going to commit to have a program, we have to do what needs to be done," Mr. Stanek said. "Hopefully, it gets beyond the back and forth."
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