Bow Hunters Taking Aim At Deer Reduction
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
More than 20 hunters attended a training session Saturday to qualify to be part of a team that will help reduce the number of deer in Warsaw.
The session was held at the Warsaw Police Department and topics addressed included bowhunting safety, reduction zones and bowhunting guidelines and rules and regulations for the reduction effort.
The Warsaw City Council passed a resolution and ordinance at its meeting Nov. 6 that allows trained archers to hunt in declared nuisance zones in Warsaw.
Deer Task Force chair Jeff Grose gave a report and recommendation presentation on the history of the Deer Task Force during the training session.
Grose said the task force has spent the past nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill.
"The mission of the task force is to reduce and maintain the population of deer in designated nuisance zones in Warsaw," Grose said.
He said the use of archery equipment allows for a safe and ethical way to harvest deer and that public safety is a priority.
The task force has identified a deer nuisance zone within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Oakwood Cemetery, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
Grose said the management committee's goal is to assign eight archers in each zone.
To be considered to be part of the deer reduction effort, the potential archers were required to fill out an application form and have an approved background check conducted by the Warsaw Police Department.
An archer applying for the reduction effort and wishing to harvest antlered deer must harvest a female deer first and use their own state deer tags.
The potential hunters also were required to perform a proficiency test where they had three chances to shoot their arrows at a target outside the police station at a target range.
The hunters were judged on their accuracy and will be selected by Mayor Ernie Wiggins and a management committee to qualify to be a hunter for the reduction efforts.
The committee consists of Wiggins, Grose, Police Chief Steve Foster and task force member Matt Dick.
Task Force member Jon Cook spoke during the training session about the importance of hunters knowing their equipment, respecting property owners and wearing hunter orange when hunting in the declared areas.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that the city council has approved and residents have allowed and trusted us to do," Cook said.
Task Force member Matt Dick spoke about rules and regulations for the reduction effort.
He said hunters assigned to zones must identify the dates and times they are hunting in the zones. A calendar will be created for each zone so the management committee knows when and who is hunting each day in the zones.
Each hunter will have an identification card and information packets explaining the purpose of the task force, and tree stands will be used at all times in the reduction zones.
Archers will complete a log sheet after each reduction effort that will be given to the Warsaw Police Department bi-weekly.
Linda Byer, district wildlife biologist for Kosciusko County, also attended the training and informed the potential hunters Beverly Shores has conducted a deer reduction effort.
She said the reduction effort has been successful in reducing the number of deer in Beverly Shores.
Police Chief Steve Foster spoke about public safety in the deer reduction effort.
He said hunters will be required to mark their arrows and parking locations will be identified where hunters are allowed to park.
Potential archers will be notified by phone in the next 7 to 14 days if they are selected into the program, Grose said.
He said the management committee will discuss the archers performance and background checks still need to be cleared.
"We will likely select archers the first week of December and then start placing them in reduction zones during the second week of December," Grose said.
Those selected into the program will participate only on weekdays in the reduction zones until Jan. 7.
Grose said the Deer Task Force plans on reporting results of the reduction effort to the city council in March.
The Wabash chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding The Hungry will fund the processing fee for the deer meat from the hunt and donate it to Our Father's House.
The organization is a Christian outreach ministry that helps feed venison and other big game to the hungry.
Hunters can donate the meat for processing to Bales Butcher Shop, Syracuse. Alternate donation locations are Holland's Deer Processing, Peru, and Lynn's Custom Butchering, Wabash. [[In-content Ad]]
More than 20 hunters attended a training session Saturday to qualify to be part of a team that will help reduce the number of deer in Warsaw.
The session was held at the Warsaw Police Department and topics addressed included bowhunting safety, reduction zones and bowhunting guidelines and rules and regulations for the reduction effort.
The Warsaw City Council passed a resolution and ordinance at its meeting Nov. 6 that allows trained archers to hunt in declared nuisance zones in Warsaw.
Deer Task Force chair Jeff Grose gave a report and recommendation presentation on the history of the Deer Task Force during the training session.
Grose said the task force has spent the past nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill.
"The mission of the task force is to reduce and maintain the population of deer in designated nuisance zones in Warsaw," Grose said.
He said the use of archery equipment allows for a safe and ethical way to harvest deer and that public safety is a priority.
The task force has identified a deer nuisance zone within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Oakwood Cemetery, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
Grose said the management committee's goal is to assign eight archers in each zone.
To be considered to be part of the deer reduction effort, the potential archers were required to fill out an application form and have an approved background check conducted by the Warsaw Police Department.
An archer applying for the reduction effort and wishing to harvest antlered deer must harvest a female deer first and use their own state deer tags.
The potential hunters also were required to perform a proficiency test where they had three chances to shoot their arrows at a target outside the police station at a target range.
The hunters were judged on their accuracy and will be selected by Mayor Ernie Wiggins and a management committee to qualify to be a hunter for the reduction efforts.
The committee consists of Wiggins, Grose, Police Chief Steve Foster and task force member Matt Dick.
Task Force member Jon Cook spoke during the training session about the importance of hunters knowing their equipment, respecting property owners and wearing hunter orange when hunting in the declared areas.
"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that the city council has approved and residents have allowed and trusted us to do," Cook said.
Task Force member Matt Dick spoke about rules and regulations for the reduction effort.
He said hunters assigned to zones must identify the dates and times they are hunting in the zones. A calendar will be created for each zone so the management committee knows when and who is hunting each day in the zones.
Each hunter will have an identification card and information packets explaining the purpose of the task force, and tree stands will be used at all times in the reduction zones.
Archers will complete a log sheet after each reduction effort that will be given to the Warsaw Police Department bi-weekly.
Linda Byer, district wildlife biologist for Kosciusko County, also attended the training and informed the potential hunters Beverly Shores has conducted a deer reduction effort.
She said the reduction effort has been successful in reducing the number of deer in Beverly Shores.
Police Chief Steve Foster spoke about public safety in the deer reduction effort.
He said hunters will be required to mark their arrows and parking locations will be identified where hunters are allowed to park.
Potential archers will be notified by phone in the next 7 to 14 days if they are selected into the program, Grose said.
He said the management committee will discuss the archers performance and background checks still need to be cleared.
"We will likely select archers the first week of December and then start placing them in reduction zones during the second week of December," Grose said.
Those selected into the program will participate only on weekdays in the reduction zones until Jan. 7.
Grose said the Deer Task Force plans on reporting results of the reduction effort to the city council in March.
The Wabash chapter of Farmers and Hunters Feeding The Hungry will fund the processing fee for the deer meat from the hunt and donate it to Our Father's House.
The organization is a Christian outreach ministry that helps feed venison and other big game to the hungry.
Hunters can donate the meat for processing to Bales Butcher Shop, Syracuse. Alternate donation locations are Holland's Deer Processing, Peru, and Lynn's Custom Butchering, Wabash. [[In-content Ad]]