Task Force Discusses Deer Reduction Effort
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
The task force met Wednesday night at city hall to discuss results from last year's efforts.
Those who attended the meeting included Police Chief Steve Foster, Deer Task Force Chair Jeff Grose, Mayor Ernie Wiggins, task force members Matt Dick, Dan Smith, Jon Cook and Joe Thallemer.
Linda Byer, wildlife biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife, and Warsaw resident Gary Parker also attended the meeting.[[In-content Ad]]The Warsaw City Council passed a resolution and ordinance at its meeting Nov. 6 to allow hunters to hunt in declared nuisance zones in Warsaw.
The task force spent nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill. The task force identified deer nuisance zones within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Oakwood Cemetery, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
The three-week deer reduction efforts in Warsaw began Dec. 18 and ended Jan. 5.
There were 28 hunters who applied for the program, 20 were selected, and 18 deer task force members hunted, Foster said. There were 18 deer harvested in the reduction efforts.
Foster said he was pleased with the deer reduction results and the hunters who participated in the program.
The hunters had to complete training, a background check and a proficiency test to become a part of the deer task force.
"Without hesitation, I would use all the hunters we had last year in another reduction effort because they helped each other out and made sure they called me each day they hunted to inform me where they were," Foster said.
Byer also said she felt the results were successful.
"It is important that people realize that bow hunting is one of the necessary evils, or the deer population will keep expanding," Byer said.
She said other communities similar to Warsaw are looking to see the outcome of the city's deer reduction efforts.
Grose suggested the task force look into adding two additional members to the animal nuisance management committee.
The committee reviews and evaluates animal management options recommended by the task force.
Wiggins said he also is looking into appointing another council representative to the committee.
Grose said task force members Cook and Dick are looking into identifying potential additional nuisance zones and possible reduction zones for future reduction efforts.
Thallemer said though he supports the reduction effort, he would not support declaring additional zones for the 2007-2008 hunting season.
"We have had a limited success, and I am proud of what has been accomplished," Thallemer said. "I would like to see the reduction effort successful in a full season before we decide to declare additional nuisance zones and possible reduction zones."
He described the efforts as still being a pilot program, but supported researching possible nuisance areas that could benefit deer reduction efforts in the future.
Grose said the zones would not immediately be enacted, but the task force could plan ahead and have possible reduction zones and additional nuisance zones identified if needed.
Grose said he hopes to finalize a deer reduction proposal by the end of this month for the 2007-2008 hunting season.
"I believe we took a baby step in last year's reduction efforts, and I'm very comfortable with taking another step," Grose said.
The proposal, he said, would be similar to last year's and will include declared animal nuisance and reduction effort zones, qualifications for archery hunters and archery hunter selection process information.
Grose said he hopes to present the proposal and resolution for nuisance zones to the city council for approval in June, and establish dates and an agenda for archer training in August or September.
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The task force met Wednesday night at city hall to discuss results from last year's efforts.
Those who attended the meeting included Police Chief Steve Foster, Deer Task Force Chair Jeff Grose, Mayor Ernie Wiggins, task force members Matt Dick, Dan Smith, Jon Cook and Joe Thallemer.
Linda Byer, wildlife biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife, and Warsaw resident Gary Parker also attended the meeting.[[In-content Ad]]The Warsaw City Council passed a resolution and ordinance at its meeting Nov. 6 to allow hunters to hunt in declared nuisance zones in Warsaw.
The task force spent nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill. The task force identified deer nuisance zones within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Oakwood Cemetery, Kosciusko Community Hospital and U.S. 30.
The three-week deer reduction efforts in Warsaw began Dec. 18 and ended Jan. 5.
There were 28 hunters who applied for the program, 20 were selected, and 18 deer task force members hunted, Foster said. There were 18 deer harvested in the reduction efforts.
Foster said he was pleased with the deer reduction results and the hunters who participated in the program.
The hunters had to complete training, a background check and a proficiency test to become a part of the deer task force.
"Without hesitation, I would use all the hunters we had last year in another reduction effort because they helped each other out and made sure they called me each day they hunted to inform me where they were," Foster said.
Byer also said she felt the results were successful.
"It is important that people realize that bow hunting is one of the necessary evils, or the deer population will keep expanding," Byer said.
She said other communities similar to Warsaw are looking to see the outcome of the city's deer reduction efforts.
Grose suggested the task force look into adding two additional members to the animal nuisance management committee.
The committee reviews and evaluates animal management options recommended by the task force.
Wiggins said he also is looking into appointing another council representative to the committee.
Grose said task force members Cook and Dick are looking into identifying potential additional nuisance zones and possible reduction zones for future reduction efforts.
Thallemer said though he supports the reduction effort, he would not support declaring additional zones for the 2007-2008 hunting season.
"We have had a limited success, and I am proud of what has been accomplished," Thallemer said. "I would like to see the reduction effort successful in a full season before we decide to declare additional nuisance zones and possible reduction zones."
He described the efforts as still being a pilot program, but supported researching possible nuisance areas that could benefit deer reduction efforts in the future.
Grose said the zones would not immediately be enacted, but the task force could plan ahead and have possible reduction zones and additional nuisance zones identified if needed.
Grose said he hopes to finalize a deer reduction proposal by the end of this month for the 2007-2008 hunting season.
"I believe we took a baby step in last year's reduction efforts, and I'm very comfortable with taking another step," Grose said.
The proposal, he said, would be similar to last year's and will include declared animal nuisance and reduction effort zones, qualifications for archery hunters and archery hunter selection process information.
Grose said he hopes to present the proposal and resolution for nuisance zones to the city council for approval in June, and establish dates and an agenda for archer training in August or September.
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