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Council advances USDA deer-management agreement after questions about permits and processing
Summary
Administration presented a USDA cooperative agreement to cull up to 100 deer (proposal ~ $56,000). Councilors pressed for details about site selection, permits (Ohio Division of Wildlife approval required), processing/donation of meat and resident outreach; the ordinance was advanced for further reading.
Henry, the presenter from the service department, outlined a cooperative service proposal from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a sharpshooting program and said the single proposal would allow the USDA "to take up to 100 deer at approximately $56,000," which he described as about $18,000 less than originally budgeted.
Council members asked how the deer-management plan would be approved and who signs off. Henry said the USDA completed a survey and will work with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, adding that permit issuance lies with the Division of Wildlife: "We have to approve the contract, which is a cooperative service agreement with USDA... the Ohio Division of Wildlife will approve the plan once the USDA establishes it," he said. Council also asked about processing and donation of harvested deer; Henry said healthy deer would be donated where possible, but processing costs or donor pickup arrangements would be separate and described in the management plan.
Council heard that the USDA survey estimated roughly 25.8 deer per square mile in surveyed areas (above the recommended 10–15), that the culling window would occur between October and March, and that site availability and weather can affect actual take. Council moved to place the ordinance on second and subsequent reading to allow time for the contract and management-plan details; the motion passed unanimously.
