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Wildwood contractor reports successful deer-removal season but cites access, illegal feeding as limits
Summary
White Buffalo project manager told the council the contractor exceeded its harvest target this season and donated venison to a red-wolf recovery program; staff said citations for illegal feeding have not been issued but warning letters are being used.
White Buffalo project manager Ryan Ross told the Wildwood City Council on March 10 that the city’s contracted deer-removal program exceeded expectations this season and generally ran with few operational problems. Ross said the contractor harvested 361 deer over the program period and deployed four biologists in the field most nights to cover the program’s sites.
The program donated several deer carcasses to the Saint Louis Zoo to support the zoo’s red-wolf recovery meat program; Ross said the donation helped defray processing costs. He described access to private property and residents illegally feeding deer as the program’s main recurring challenges: without permission to enter properties, crews cannot remove deer, and supplemental food sources reduce the program’s efficiency.
Council members asked about enforcement of Wildwood’s ordinance prohibiting feeding deer. City Administrator said no feeding citations have been issued; instead code enforcement has delivered warning letters using a new template. The administrator said proving an individual is feeding deer can be difficult in court, and said staff will revisit the ordinance language and enforcement procedures with the administration and public works committee.
Council member Edens (Ward 2) urged continued outreach to neighborhoods that have previously denied access, saying residents’ concerns often ease after neighbors report successful operations on adjacent properties. Ross recommended continued surveying and follow-up operations, and said metrics such as deer-vehicle collision counts and hunting harvests will help determine long-term population trends.
At the end of the discussion, Ross told the council he sees the program as stabilizing deer reproductive activity where hunting pressure remains, and that the city should continue surveys to guide where follow‑up removals are needed.
The council did not take a formal vote on the report; the presentation was accepted for information.
