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City to ask residents about urban deer in new survey
City of Cranbrook council last night (March 3) approved a recommendation to take the urban deer problem back to residents in the form of a survey.
Residents will be asked for their input on urban deer and possible future population management strategies beginning on Monday, March 10.
The 17-question survey – both online and a paper version – will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 10, with the survey closing at 4:30 p.m. on Friday March 28.
The survey is intended to provide residents an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the current deer management program and provide input to council on future direction of this initiative, which will cost about $1,000.
The last time the public was surveyed about urban deer was September 2010.
“The 2010 survey was conducted prior to the city actually conducting the culls of 2011 and 2013,” said Mayor Wayne Stetski. “It’s time to check with our citizens to see where they would like us to go in the future with Cranbrook’s resident deer population.”
Council wasn’t unanimous in its decision, with Coun. Gerry Warner being the lone vote against the survey.
Calling the urban deer in the city “a real mess of a situation,” Warner said the $1,000 survey cost would be best saved for other tasks and the city should just get on with another cull.
Coun. Diana J Scott agreed with the mayor, noting, “We do need to see where the public sits” but admitted she has concerns about options such as relocation or birth control, opposed to a cull, being listed on the survey.
Such options have been proven to not work or are “prohibitively expensive,” she said.
Stetski admitted “a serious look at translocation is coming up,” with rod and gun club volunteers and some funding for a pilot project a possibility.
In the meantime, the city is going to ask residents to give it directions on what to do with the overpopulation of deer within city limits.
Residents can access the survey online on the city’s website – http://www.cranbrook.ca and click on ‘Urban Deer Resident Survey’ under City of Cranbrook Links on the homepage.
For residents without access to a computer, printed versions of the survey will be available for pick up at reception at City Hall during regular business hours.
Residents requesting a paper copy must provide photo identification with a City of Cranbrook mailing address to be able to get a survey.
Completed surveys can be mailed back to City Hall or dropped off by the 4:30 p.m. Friday March 28 deadline. Postmarks will not be accepted. Completed surveys must be received at City Hall by the deadline date. Late submissions will be disqualified.
Staff will compile all the survey responses and results into a report for presentation to council later in the spring.
Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
