Residents urge pause, new survey after Wildwood deer culling; city says follow-up studies underway

Residents told the Wildwood City Council on Oct. 13 that the city—s contractor-led deer management work should be paused until more accurate, recent population data are collected and local hunters are given a greater role.

Several speakers described sharp local declines after the city program. "The Missouri Department of Conservation estimates that there were 700 deer in this 10 square mile area," said resident Terry Connolly, and he added that 661 deer were removed. "That leaves 39 deer or 3.9 deer per square mile. There are no deer," he said. Tom Mitchell told the council the local harvest appeared to have reduced deer sightings across many traditional hunting and family-recreation spots.

Speakers raised technical and ethical concerns with the current approach. They urged an updated aerial or thermal drone survey rather than reliance on earlier ground surveys, questioned use of head shots that can increase wounding risk, and warned about ecological knock-on effects including increased coyote activity. Citizens asked the city to involve local hunters, consider alternative management approaches (baiting with owner permission, combining small parcels to allow bowhunters access), and pursue nonlethal and habitat strategies.

City staff responded that the city has performed follow-up population surveys in 2024 and 2025 and that officials are "currently looking at doing an aerial, heat map survey as well," and that the matter will be discussed further in Administration & Public Works committee meetings, including one scheduled the next day. A staff representative also said many residents had expressed interest in participating: "we've had over 200 reach out to us to participate," the staff member said, when discussing private-property access and preferred contractors.

No new council action to change the program was taken at Monday—s meeting; several speakers asked the council to place a pause on further removals until an independent thermal-drone survey or other updated count is completed and reviewed.

Key named organizations and contractors discussed included the Missouri Department of Conservation and the contractor White Buffalo, which residents singled out in public comment as the firm used for removals; residents also referenced a private consultant (midwestdeersurveys.com) that uses thermal aerial methods. City staff said they would pursue additional data and discuss policy options at upcoming committee meetings.