Urban Deer Task Force

Well, it's winter and once again Helena is wanting to kill 150 urban deer.
I was reading through FWP's Deer Environmental Assessment. Here are highlights.

In 2007 there was an estimated 82 deer per square mile. However this exceeds the city's ideal of 25. This is equivilant to 350 deer total in the city limits. The city can hold more deer, but the "social tolerance" for urban deer has "been exceeded." Meaning too many flowers are being eaten, too many car collisions, and too many pet-deer conflicts.

So, as is the case with the ignorance in this state, the solution to every wildlife issue is kill it.

Helena Police will be setting clover traps (see video below) on private property, bait them at night, come back the next morning and kill the deer with a bolt gun. "After the carcass is removed the site would be cleaned with water or other means to maintain aesthetic values of the site." FWP will store the carcass after field dressing and when there are 5 the carcasses will be taken to meat processing and given to food banks. Once again the slaughtered animals are given to the poor.

You can help by sending an email to Fish Wildlife Park and tell them what you think of their EA.
urbandeer@mt.gov