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Measures will be taken to reduce the deer herd in Kosciusko County.
The Warsaw City Council approved an ordinance and resolution at its meeting Monday night that allows trained archers to hunt in declared nuisance zones.
The vote was 4-3 with city council members Joe Thallemer, Bob Morrison, Bill Rhoades and Jeff Grose supporting the ordinance and resolution, and council members Charlie Smith, George Clemens and Jerry Patterson voting against the ordinance and resolution.
The ordinance is an amendment to the limitation on bows and arrows and slingshots.
The ordinance states that unless otherwise excepted, it is illegal to discharge or shoot a "missile" from a bow or slingshot except at a practice target designed to prevent the ricochet off or exit through the target.
The provisions of this section that apply to the use of bows and arrows will not apply when by resolution of the city council it has been determined that there exists a defined area within the city corporate limits in which deer have become a nuisance.
The designation of the deer nuisance zones will expire Jan. 15 of the year following the year in which deer nuisance zones are created.
No other deer nuisance zone designations may be made in the future unless properly adopted by resolution of the city council.
The resolution allows the task force to determine the existence of deer nuisance areas within the city's boundaries.
The deer task force, co-chaired by city council member Jeff Grose, has spent the past nine months researching methods to control the deer herd near Spring Hill.
The task force has identified a deer nuisance zone within the city limits, including the entire area around Spring Hill, Kosciusko County Hospital and U.S. 30.
A public forum was held at the council's Oct. 16 meeting where residents and city council members who were not part of the task force had the opportunity to ask questions and provide input regarding the report and recommendations for controlling the deer heard near Spring Hill.
Residents attended Monday night's city council meeting and voiced their opinions both for and against the deer reduction efforts.
Dennis Janda, a Spring Hill resident, said he supports the deer reduction efforts.
"The problem with deer seems to get worse every year and it is becoming unmanageable," Janda said.
He said fencing for his shrubbery has been damaged from deer and a patch of his front lawn also was damaged.
Richard Helm, a resident of Spring Hill, presented a letter to council members stating his support for deer reduction efforts.
"The proposed solution, a controlled hunt, with licensed, regulated and assigned hunters, and with notice to the public, is a sensible and rational approach," Helm said in the letter.
Randy Murphy, a Spring Hill resident, opposed the deer reduction efforts.
"I realize the deer need to be thinned out, but I think using archers to eliminate the deer jeopardizes our property and creates safety issues," Murphy said.
Gamze Neer, Leesburg, a former resident of Turkey, expressed her concern with the ordinance and resolution.
"My main concern is the safety of the hunters and I believe bow-and-arrow hunting is an inhumane way of killing the deer," Neer said.
City council members also shared their ideas regarding the ordinance and resolution.
City Council member Bob Morrison supported the ordinance and resolution.
"My wife and I went door to door a few years ago in Kosciusko County asking resident what there concerns were and people all over the city said they had a problem with deer in their neighborhoods," Morrison said. "I also believe deer is a problem and support the ordinance and resolution."
City council member George Clemens was opposed to the ordinance and resolution.
"This is one of the hardest issues I've had to think about while I have been a city council member, but I do not have a peace about passing the ordinance and allowing archers to hunt in city limits," Clemens said.
Grose said the goal is to have approved archers trained and hunting in declared reduction zones by Dec. 1. Deer reduction efforts will be evaluated and updates on the efforts will be reported to the city council after hunting season in Spring 2007.
Archery hunters approved by a management committee and Mayor Ernie Wiggins will be required to remain in the zones at least 70 yards away from residential properties while participating in the reduction effort.
Grose said the management committee will attempt to assign at least eight archers in each zone. The committee will consist of Wiggins, Chief of Police Steve Foster and a member of the city council appointed by the mayor.
Archery hunters will be assigned to a zone and identify the dates and times they will be hunting in the zone. A calendar will be created for each zone so the management committee knows when and who is hunting each day in the reduction zones.
Grose said hunting in reduction zones will only occur on weekdays.
Archers will wear identifiable clothing and have approved parking areas near each reduction zone.
Archers will use deer stands and portable tree stands at all times in each reduction zone.
Archers will complete a log sheet after each reduction effort and the log sheets will be given to Warsaw Police department bi-weekly.
