The Debate and The Deer

With due respect to the residents that are concerned enough with matters to question our city officials, an answer that is always appreciated is ‘I don’t know enough about it but I will find out’. I learned the information below when I was researching the white-tail deer. It was not, however, my intention to dilute the deer topic with questioning how the role of the ODNR could have been misinterpreted, it just happened that way.

  

The deer population was addressed during the Mayoral Candidate debate in October. Mayor Sutherland stated reasons why the city could not attempt to reduce the ever growing deer population. With controversial aspects of culling still being discussed, and in the event Bay should ever consider a deer management program, I wanted more information. Of the things I learned, some were in contrast to what was presented by the Mayor. My confusion led me to communicate with the Department of Wildlife Management Supervisor at the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources) for clarification.  He was able to elaborate and his answers didn’t mirror my understanding from the debate. Furthermore, no one from the City of Bay Village has spoken to the ODNR Wildlife Manager to discuss the deer population in our town. The only Bay people he has spoken to have been a few residents.

   

Debate Question: Are you looking for a joint effort with our sister cities on deer, bird reduction?

Mayor Sutherland stated she had been talking to the City of Avon Lake, and to be very honest, regarding this issue, this is actually the jurisdiction of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. They are the ones who can permit a city or metro parks to cull the herd. Certain population parameters have to be met and “according to the ODNR unfortunately the City of Bay Village does not meet them”. She stated further, just to give us an idea, the number of accidents we may end up with in a year - 10 accidents max of vehicle versus deer compared to the City of Solon with 85 to 125. She summed it all up with “and that is how the ODNR judges the population.”

ODNR:  There is no population parameter or deer vehicle accident standard to be met to begin a deer management program. In fact, a city does not have to involve the ODNR to develop most programs. The decision to cull is left to the city. A deer management program, individual to each city, is brought into play and written by the city, not the ODNR. Each program is specific to the city and the problems it faces and the goals it wishes to attain. The ODNR provides the guidance and technical assistance to help make informed decisions and to help a city reach their goals.

If hunting is the culling method, the ODNR has the jurisdiction to enforce statewide hunting regulations and policies. The ODNR can deny a permit for programs outside statewide hunting regulations if they are not comfortable with the program. As best we can tell, Bay did not submit any program to be denied.

Regarding the program: Given the diversity and needs from one area to another, different criteria can be assigned that may vary from city to city. Criteria is established in direct relation to and dependent upon what a city defines as issues and goals. The city itself must first site reduction in traffic accidents as a goal, the ODNR in turn may require particular traffic statistics. ODNR will not simply say – X amount of accidents are not enough to consider a program for your town. Cities tend to want to lay the focus on deer vehicle accidents but the reality in most cases should be on resident issues.  If it is landowner complaints, ODNR will require citizen survey data. If it is for biodiversity issues, they look for vegetation monitoring. Cities are held to providing an amazing amount of work and will be under scrutiny once they involve the ODNR. 

According to the ODNR, there is no one answer or even a good answer when looking at optimum population or “population parameters”. The goal is not necessarily always population control, but goals are tied to the problems the population creates in each individual city, in which case the size of the herd may sometimes be inconsequential. Goal examples: a city can have as a goal of working toward a 30% reduction in resident complaints in area 1 or; no more than 5 vehicle accidents in area 2. Attaching the same numbers to a herd for every community in the state of Ohio does not work. Think of the different landscape throughout the entire state and you know that some areas can sustain 25 deer per square mile while other areas only 5 per square mile. As in the case of an airport area, a zero deer population is the goal. In fact the ODNR stated that a lot goes into determining appropriate levels. 

My understanding:  To say the ODNR looked at the deer population parameters and accident rates of Bay was simply an easy, incomplete and skewed answer. To say that Bay did not meet population parameters is untrue since there are no such parameters to meet. To say, in essence, we were denied permission to cull is in fact – not fact. Contrary to what was said at the debate, there is no basis for citing lack of population and accidents to create a management plan to control deer.

Should the city write a plan and contact the ODNR, yes, they will look at deer traffic accidents if lowering accidents is a part of said goals. Accidents will be looked at relative to your plan; not in comparison to any other city’s accidents or plans such as Solon. But since Solon was the example given, Solon’s herd, is assumedly bigger because the city of Solon has 20 square miles to Bay’s 7 square miles. It stands to reason Solon would have more deer related auto accidents. Still, there is no accident standard to be met unless and until the city outlines that in their goals. 

The ODNR will work, no fees involved, to discuss techniques to achieve identified goals on a case by case basis.  For a densely populated city like Bay Village where bow and arrow and sharpshooting would not work, there are options including trapping.

The link to the Mayoral Candidate debate is here http://vimeo.com/76088904 At 17:35 the question is asked.