Photo: Saint John councillors sit around their table during a meeting on February 11, 2019. (Brad Perry/Wave News)
A long-awaited nuisance deer management program in Millidgeville is one step closer to reality.
Council has passed first and second reading of a new bylaw making it illegal to actively feed the animals.
It is one of the final hurdles before the city can apply to the province for a deer management program.
Under the program, licensed bow hunters would be allowed to shoot one antlerless deer on approved private property with the owner’s permission.
While most of council supports the idea, Deputy Mayor Shirley McAlary calls it “barbaric and uncivilized.”
“I could damage a deer and it could go in the woods and bleed to death. I could damage somebody’s dog, a cat, hopefully not a child,” McAlary said.
“It’s just so dangerous to do something like that in a populated area like Millidgeville.”
Safeguards In Place
Tim O’Reilly, deputy commissioner of parks and public spaces, said hunters would have to be licensed and would not be able to shoot within 100 metres of a dwelling.
About 73 per cent of people who answered a recent survey by the city said they would support a deer management program.
According to a staff report, interested residents would have to apply to ensure their property, or a grouping of neighbouring properties, qualify for the program.
The Department of Energy and Resource Development would assess each application individually to ensure there are no land layout or public safety concerns.
Coun. Greg Norton says he believes there are lots of safeguards in place to ensure not just anyone is bow hunting in the community.
— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) February 11, 2019
Coun. Donna Reardon questioned how the city would determine how actively feeding deer would be defined in the bylaw.
“If you are going to plant a salad bar for deer — and they love hostas, tulips, all of those things — and then say that they can’t eat it, I don’t know if that’s reasonable.”
O’Reilly said the bylaw would target those who leave food out, and simply planting a certain plant would not be considered actively feeding.
Coun. John MacKenzie said the program is long overdue.
“We’re not unique in Saint John. This is something that’s being used in a lot of other places as close by as Quispamsis, Rothesay area.”
Follow
