THE MUNICIPALITIES WILL STILL HAVE TO MAKE THE LETHAL DECISION

The CRD Board has decided to lead the region in some deer management solutions. These will include regional bylaw models on feeding deer, speed limits where deer collisions are most likely, and providing information on deer-resistant plantings. Board Chairman Young even suggests that the CRD could discuss immuno-contraception with the federal government.

But no one would touch the topic of culling in the CRD at the November 28 Planning, Transportation and Protective Services meeting. No one but the gardeners who spoke, that is. Landscape designer Lynn Morton stated, “Get rid of them. All of them. The sooner the better.”

The CRD Board will not be recommending lethal action against the deer – that chore will still fall to the municipalities, who will claim to be acting on the needs of their residents/taxpayers.

Sharp shooting and bowhunting in residential areas is off the table, but clover trap/bolt gun killing is favoured in the Citizen's Advisory Group's recommendations as a method to destroy inconvenient deer that avoids the use of missiles.

That is why DeerSafe Victoria sent a survey to 13 mayors and councilors. The communities with the highest number of complaints are the ones that are going to be pressured into lethal action. The CRD Board will not be footing the bill for culls in the region, but the municipalities will.

The municipalities erroneously believe that the CRD Board will be taking the lead in deer management across the region. The lethal solution will fall squarely on their shoulders. The public on both sides of the debate wants to know how knowledgable their mayors and councilors are about an issue that is likely to escalate in the coming months.

The survey as it currently stands:

http://www.deersafevictoria.com/home/survey2012