The Ames Urban Deer Task Force will hold an open house on  Wednesday, August 
1st, per the article below.    I've been  told there's a possibility that many 
attendees will oppose lethal  deer control.   For anyone who's concerned 
about the  ecological impacts of Story County's deer population, the open  house 
is an opportunity to express opinions.    

My own bias -- I don't have a strong opinion about whether  deer should be 
managed via hunting or hired sharpshooting  (as has been done in Johnson 
County).  But with deer densities  in Story County well above sustainable levels, I 
think it's vital that  realistic measures be decided on and implemented, and 
that the City of Ames be  part of the solution.   
 
As a landowner, I've found out it does little good to allow  hunting on land 
near Ames if the deer move elsewhere during hunting  season.   And I don't 
think the City of Ames should have to fund  research on deer impacts on local 
natural areas before taking action, as  some have suggested.   That kind of 
research has already been  done.
 
Thanks for reading this.  I hope to attend and bring copies of  a scary 
BIOSCIENCE article called "A Plague of Deer."  
 
Cindy Hildebrand
 
***
 
 
Deer task force to host open house 
 
By: Luke Jennett 
07/27/2007
 

 



The Urban Deer Task Force wants input from Ames residents about  what to do 
with the city's burgeoning deer herd.


   
The task force will host an open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  Wednesday, 
Aug. 1, in the Ames Public Library Auditorium. The event won't  feature any 
formal presentations, Ames Police Chief Chuck Cychosz said, but the  task force's 
recommendations to the Ames City Council will be reviewed in hopes  of gleaning 
input from Ames residents.

Last year, an initial effort by  the city to introduce bow hunting in urban 
areas to thin out the deer population  was met with some disinterest among 
hunters; only seven licenses were issued,  and only three deer were harvested.

But the program was successful in  establishing a system to confront the 
problem, Cychosz said. 

"Frankly,  what we have been trying to do is to get some experience toward 
coming up with a  large-scale program," he said.

The program in 2006 was met with  contention by some residents who were 
either opposed to hunting in general, or  who were worried about hunting being 
allowed in urban areas. This year, Cychosz  said, the task force has modified its 
recommendations to accommodate some of the  issues raised last year. 

"We know people are interested in this topic,  and we're looking for their 
input," he said. "We're looking forward to having a  conversation with them 
about how to make this work."

The Urban Deer Task  Force's report is available online as part of the City 
Council's packet for the  July 24 meeting.

Luke Jennett can be reached at 232-2161, Ext. 343, or  [log in to unmask]

Urban Deer Task Force management  strategies

Among 10 management strategies suggested  by the Urban Deer Task Force for 
the coming year are:

* Continue to allow  qualified bow hunters to hunt within the city, with the 
added addendum that the  distance between the stands and any maintained roads, 
recreation trails or  organized activity sites be decreased from 85 feet to 
75 feet.

* Ask the  Ames City Council to enact a ban on the feeding of deer.

* Provide public  education safety programs regarding the animals, impact on 
natural habitats,  deterrents, plantings, motor vehicle safety and deer hot 
spots.

*  Consider an incentive program to increase the number of deer harvested in 
the  city.

* Consider closing a specific city park for a short period of time  (up to 
seven days) to allow only hunters in the park. 
***


Cindy  Hildebrand
[log in to unmask]
Ames, IA  50010

"Prairie-chickens (numbered) in countless thousands and their  nests often 
covered acres of the prairie. The long-billed curlew, now unknown in  Iowa, 
everywhere hovered over the prairie, an easy mark for every pot-hunter..."  
(Bohumil Shimek describing Iowa at the time of early European  settlement)



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