Sunday, March 16, 2014

Pro-cull City "Pleased" With Early Response to Deer Cull Survey

The city of Cranbrook has posted on their website that they are "pleased" with 500 responses to their deer cull survey.  They have not checked the IP addresses of the respondents as yet.  Some residents have reported that they were able to complete and submit the survey online twice, even three times. "We've had a couple of small issues arise shortly after the survey went public, but those have been corrected," says Zettel.  Can Cranbrook council assure everyone that these 500 responses weren't the result of several residents completing the survey more than once?


The following article is from E-know.


CranUrbdeer

City pleased with early response to urban deer survey

Posted: March 14, 2014

Nearly five days since the urban deer resident survey was made available to residents of the City of Cranbrook, staff is pleased with the public interest and participation.

Since the survey became available on Monday morning (March 10), just over 500 surveys have been completed both online and via paper copies. The survey closes on Friday, March 28 at 4:30 p.m.

I am quite happy with the early response of our residents,” says Chris Zettel, Corporate Communications Officer with the City of Cranbrook. “I am beginning to see some trending with some of the results, but it is still too early to make any solid conclusions yet.”

The survey is intended to provide residents an opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the current deer management program and provide input to council on future direction of this initiative. The last time the public was surveyed about urban deer was September 2010. About 1,470 residents completed the 2010 survey.

Sometimes even with the best planning and testing little things do come up. We’ve had a couple of small issues arise shortly after the survey went public, but those have been corrected,” says Zettel. “I want to thank those residents that made us aware of those issues, so we could look after them.”

Residents can access the survey online on the city’s website – www.cranbrook.ca and click on ‘Urban Deer Resident Survey’ under City of Cranbrook Links on the homepage. Residents without access to a computer, printed versions of the survey will be available for pick up at reception at City Hall during regular business hours.

Residents requesting a paper copy must provide photo identification with a City of Cranbrook mailing address to be able to get a survey. Completed surveys can be mailed back to City Hall or dropped off by the 4:30 p.m. Friday, March 28 deadline. Postmarks will not be accepted. Completed surveys must be received at City Hall by the deadline date. Late submissions will be disqualified.

City of Cranbrook

Monday, March 10, 2014

Be Afraid, Little Girls, Be very Afraid

Cranbrook has updated their website with a new 2013 Urban Deer Annual Report.  This is the picture they chose.

"The City of Cranbrook recognizes that deer are a natural part of our environment and despite the fact that present mule deer numbers are considered low relative to other urban areas, anecdotal information from the public suggests that human and deer interactions in Cranbrook are increasing. 
Residents continue to express growing frustration with a range of deer issues from property damage to aggression towards both pets and humans."

http://cranbrook.ca/our-city/city-departments/corporate-services/urban-deer/

The relentless fear-mongering continues.  We look forward to posting the latest survey from Cranbrook council.



Monday, March 3, 2014

Kimberley cull done after traps damaged

Sally MacDonald and Carolyn Grant

Kimberley's 2014 cull of 30 mule deer is effectively over as four of the five clover traps being used were vandalized and damaged on February 27.


 Devin Kazakoff, a founder of the Invermere Deer Protection Society, is one of two men charged over allegations of deer trap tampering in Kimberley last week.
Kazakoff and another man, Lucky Gene Sikora, appeared before a Judicial Justice of the Peace in Cranbrook on Thursday, Feb. 27 on charges of mischief, and disguising the face with intent to commit an offence.
They were released from custody and will next appear in Cranbrook Criminal Court on May 20 to consult legal counsel.
They were released with a $1,000 bail under a number of strict conditions which include: not to enter the City of Kimberley; not to be within 500 metres of a Ministry of Forests or Ministry of Environment office or facility in B.C.; not to be within 500 metres of any lawful deer trap facility; to report to a bail supervisor and abide by a curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
According to RCMP, two men were arrested early on Feb. 27 after they were observed damaging a deer trap in Kimberley and fleeing the scene on foot and then in a vehicle.
Police tracked the vehicle to a side road south of Kimberley and took the two men into custody.
A police dog found netting from traps nearby, and a search of the vehicle found items police believe were used to tamper with the traps. Four traps in total were damaged.
Kazakoff's Invermere Deer Protection Society sued the District of Invermere in 2012, claiming that council failed to properly consult residents before deciding to carry out a deer cull.
The civil suit was defeated in B.C. Supreme Court last November. That same month, Invermere voted to go ahead with deer culls in a referendum, with 74 per cent in favour of the deer management strategy.
The Invermere Deer Protection Society is a member of the B.C. Deer Protection Coalition, which has been outspoken against culls in Cranbrook, Kimberley and Invermere. The Animal Alliance of Canada is also a member of the Coalition.
Earlier this month, 10 clover traps were stolen from a government compound in Cranbrook. Police found seven of the traps in bush nearby but six had been destroyed in a fire. Three remain missing. No arrests have been made in the Feb. 9 incident.
Mayor Ron McRae said with only one trap left, the cull is over.