Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Herd of 300 would be culled to 150 over 5 years
CODY – Back in 2011, the City of Cody created a committee to address the growing urban deer problem. Native mule deer had moved into town limits, and had accounted for numerous auto accidents and property damage. In an effort to garner public input, the committee issued a survey. The town returned a 50/50 decision to eradicate the deer, so the committee tabled the decision to await further developments.
This Friday, Cody citizens face a deadline to resubmit the survey, answering four questions regarding deer management in town, including whether property owners would allow the police department access to property to shoot deer, and if residents would be interested in processing dead deer for personal consumption.
According to the city’s Urban Deer study, the Cody Police Department received 73 deer-related calls in 2015, and 71 calls so far in 2016, primarily dealing with vehicle collisions and damage to gardens and lawns.
The survey, available on the city’s website, is designed to determine if Cody residents will support a deer management plan going forward, which would reduce the current in-town deer population from 300 to 150, over the next three to five years.
Under the plan, the Cody Police Department, using sharpshooters, would utilize a Wyoming Game and Fish permit to hunt deer within city limits. A provision to the permit requires that the police department disburse the resulting deer meat with property owners and residents.
As reported in the Cody Enterprise, 1,189 people had completed the survey last week, and Mayor Nancy Tia Brown expressed hope that the issue could be addressed at the September city council meeting.
According to an online Deer Management database, Sheridan police killed 18 deer in 2014 under a similar plan, and Buffalo disposed and distributed 61 deer in 2011. Sundance also has a deer management plan supported by Game and Fish.
While the program in Cody would be protected under a Game and Fish Chapter 56 permit, safety precautions regarding police personnel shooting deer in city limits have not been finalized. Cody Chief of Police Chuck Baker was unavailable for comment.