08-09-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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3 1. Fertility Control Drugs - Still new and experimental. Very expensive. Estimated cost is $200 to $500 per deer. Very labor intensive - average 8 man-hours per deer. Must be administered to high percentage of female segment to produce any results. Does not reduce current population. Future doses may be necessary. Research has not shown this to be a viable solution for urban deer issues. 2. Sharpshooters - This option is expensive. Pricing is likely in the range of $200 to $300 per deer. While this technique has proved effective in other Ramsey County areas, it was felt other options should be initially pursued. 3. Urban Bowhunting Through Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB) - Most cost efficient and safe method for reducing urban deer populations. Bowhunters can apply and are required to pass education and proficiency tests before approved to hunt. The City, in conjunction with MBRB, can decide on hunting details to best fit specific situations. Hunting takes place during the State archery season. 4. Allow Private Hunting Through a Permitting Process and Utilizing the Bow and Arrow Deer Hunting Season – This method is used by the City of Vadnais Heights pursuant to set criteria. Given the lack of large, privately owned sites and the concerns about controlling hunter activity, this option has been employed on a very limited basis for large parcel areas (25 acres or greater). In 2010, a permit was granted for the Sculley property at 3000 LaBore Road and one parcel immediately adjoining the Sculley property. The Sculley permit requires all hunters to be pre-identified before the hunt and to provide evidence of “sharp shooter” status with a bow and arrow. The size of this parcel and its critical location relative to deer herd management has been the basis for including this parcel on a “private hunt” basis. In 2011, a private hunt permit was also granted to Frank Frattalone for his property located at 3204 Rice Street and 3205 Spruce Street given the large size of these two adjoining parcels and their relative isolation from residential areas. Similar hunter qualification requirements were in place. Options 3 & 4 have been the methods employed by the City of Little Canada. Control Results In the fall of 2009, the City contracted with Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB), a non- profit organization of bowhunters to conduct a controlled hunt in the area of St. John’s Cemetery and other adjoining lands. 13 deer were removed from that area over three, two-day hunt periods that were spaced three weeks apart. The first hunt resulted in 10 deer being taken. The second yielded three deer and no deer were taken during the last hunt. In 2010, the hunt areas were expanded and 52 deer were taken in the designated control areas. Even with 52 deer taken and 42 of them coming from the areas in the NE part of the City, one can see from the chart previously discussed that the population only dropped from 81 to 69 in that area. Furthermore, the St. John’s Cemetery Area had been hunted for two years and still had a population of 13 deer! That number was down only one deer from 2010. This indicates the need for a continued program if numbers are to be reduced and then maintained at acceptable levels. In 2011, 33 deer were taken from the designated hunt areas. We also added additional hunt areas consisting of Gervais Mill, LC Elementary (south portion) & Spooner Park, and the Frattalone