LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) — Deer have become a nuisance in the small eastern Oregon city of Union and the council is considering killing some of the animals to control their population.
The La Grande Observer reports that residents in the city of 2,000 have been complaining about deer eating garden plants, causing property damage and injuring pets.
A plan to control deer will be presented July 11, and the council will either vote on it or decide to wait until after it holds at least one town hall meeting.
Councilor Doug Osburn said two meetings might be necessary on the hot-button issue: “A lot of people are diametrically opposed (on the issue). There are not a lot of people in the middle.”
Shooting deer inside city limits is illegal unless the council and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife obtain a kill permit. Is such a permit is granted, a government hunter would be allowed in.
Rod McKee, the city’s public works director, said the proposed plan also calls for stronger enforcement of a city ordinance that prohibits people from feeding deer, which would discourage some of the animals from staying in Union.
McKee said the plan’s aim is eliminate a portion of the city’s deer population, not all of it. He said some deer-human conflict would remain, but he wouldn’t want to see the place deer-free.
“Deer provide a unique experience for people in the community,” he said.
If the city goes ahead with the use of force, bucks and does would be taken in late fall and winter, when fawns are old enough to survive on their own.
