City Deer Task Force Training Dates Set For August
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Training dates for the city’s deer reduction efforts have been set for this month. Only archers who have previously participated in the city’s previous deer reduction efforts are asked to apply for the reduction efforts. New applicants will not be accepted into this year’s program. This year’s Deer Task Force training efforts will be at Warsaw Police Department Aug. 22 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Aug. 24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Veteran task force archers are defined as being archers who have successfully participated in the city’s deer reduction effort for a minimum of one year since the inception of the program, said Jeff Grose, task force chairman. “We have been able to maintain a core group of committed archers in our program the past several years,” Grose said. He said the task force believes this group of veteran archers is large enough, they know and follow guidelines, and they have a proven track record of safely taking deer in the declared reduction zones. “Adding new members that qualify each August into our program has been very positive, but new members require more training and oversight which puts an increased burden on our dedicated volunteers and the administrative team at the WPD,” Grose said. The city will evaluate the impact this “only veterans may apply” policy has on the program after the 2013 reduction effort. Grose said because of the large increases in the amount of private zones, along with the amount of deer taken in all the reduction zones, the task force believes limiting participation in some of the public zones will improve the quality of hunting for the archers in future years. The Public Reduction Zones with limiting participation and/or closing for this season include: Boggs Park, Hire Park and Lakeview Middle School Island. Information, forms and applications for veteran task force archers about the deer reduction program for 2013 may be obtained on the city website at warsaw.in.gov The task force link is located within the police department webpage. Those interested in the program also will find the following updated links: returning DTF archer application form for 2013, private landowner information and application, training dates, times, and tentative agenda, and memo to veteran archers wanting to participate in the program for 2013. The task force will likely present its official proposal for deer reduction efforts to the city council in late August or the first week of September, Grose said.
