Clover Traps Coming to Oak Bay?

After turning down a sign last month that a local resident wanted to erect in a high deer collision area in Oak Bay, Mayor Jensen referred to visible deer signs as "visual pollution."

Citing deer/vehicle collisions as a main concern, council has now decided that killing 25 deer will be appropriate, and set aside $12,500 to move forward with a limited cull.

According to the Council Staff Reports, property owners have already come forward to offer their land to clover traps. There has been no discussion concerning neighbouring properties, or the rights of those property owners to quiet enjoyment of their own homes.

The Ministry of Forests, Land and Natural Resource Operations have guidelines for municipalities looking to procure a trap and kill permit. Mike Badry, the Wildlife Conflict Prevention Manager for MFLNRO, spoke recently at a Fur-Bearer Defenders wildlife conference. He noted that these permits are not “just given out” and that municipalities must demonstrate that they have tried other deer/human conflict mitigation methods before they can qualify for a kill permit.

Yesterday the mayor told the media that Oak Bay will move toward public education and road signs. Will a few weeks of “other deer/human conflict mitigation” be sufficient for Oak Bay to secure a kill permit in order to cull 25 deer in January 2014?