INDEPENDENCE The police department began taking applications for bow-hunting permits for the deer-hunting season that begins October 1.
Last year, the city issued 163 permits, down from 205 in the 2008-09 season. Statistics also show that only 90 deer were taken last year, compared to 175 the year before. Hunters are required to report the deer they shoot.
“Everybody had expected it to be down last year, because they were seeing fewer deer,” Police Chief John Nicastro said. “The deer seem to be a lot more wary of residential areas.”
The number of car accidents involving deer is also down. Statistics are not yet available for this year, but 76 accidents were reported in 2009, compared to 85 the year before. In 2007, when deer hunting was first approved in the city, the department logged 113 accidents. That included those when someone reported hitting a deer, but the animal was able to get away.
“We are roughly down 30 percent. I think that is significant in terms of fewer accidents,” Nicastro said. “I get a lot of feedback from people that they are seeing fewer deer and they have less damage to their yards and gardens.”
That means the program is working, he said. City council made an exception to the no-hunting ordinance in 2007 because the number of deer accidents and other incidents had been steadily increasing. Other options, including hiring sharpshooters, would have been very expensive for the city, or had not worked.
Bow hunting involves no cost to the city other than the time demands of checking the properties listed on the applications. All sites must be inspected each year, are required to have elevated platforms for hunting and be on at least two acres of land.
Nicastro said the department tries to work with neighbors around the proposed sites who are against bow hunting. Some permits have been denied for that reason.
“We still have a handful of people who are against hunting, or against bow hunting, but the alternative is an out-of-control situation,” Nicastro said. “I’m open to a better way, but I don’t see any right now.”
Contact Ketchum at
(216) 986-5861. sketchum@sunnews.com