A collared gray wolf in Wisconsin. Photo courtesy of Michele Woodford.

“The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources boasts: “We rank first in the country for the highest single year deer harvest on record and are number one for deer harvest over the past decade. All of us work hard to keep it that way.”

Yet, according to a new article, Limited deer hunt may happen in three area communities, deer populations are doing too well in some parts of Wisconsin. Ironically, the state DNR is also keen to “control” (read: kill off) their wolf population through hunting and trapping, in part because wolves prey on deer. How contradictory is that?

Ashwaubenon, Allouez and De Pere considering deer population control measures

A limited deer hunt could take place in 2014 in parts of Allouez, Ashwaubenon and De Pere if local officials decide the population is too big for the area.

The municipalities hope to survey the deer population this winter in response to complaints from residents, who said the animals are damaging gardens and creating traffic hazards in certain neighborhoods. But they’re working slowly with this issue, which could prompt worries about safety, objections from animal-rights groups and other potential roadblocks.

Meanwhile, officials in the communities say they’re hearing from growing numbers of residents who don’t like deer grazing in their gardens, or having large animals darting across residential streets.

“We’ve certainly had more sightings of larger groups this year,” said Rex Mehlberg, Ashwaubenon’s director of parks, recreation and forestry. “People are seeing six, eight, 10 of them at a time. One group was 14 or 15.”

Local officials stress that no decisions have been made about whether they would allow a hunt, and that hunting would not take place in parts of town where people would be at risk. First, they would have to decide if they want to do a count of deer by helicopter this winter. The survey cost, estimated at $2,000, would be shared between the communities and likely would be funded in part through a grant.

De Pere officials are scheduled Oct. 1 to discuss funding for the study, said Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director Marty Kosobucki. he said the city also has discussed setting aside some money in its 2014 budget to clover part of the cost of a survey.

In Northeastern Wisconsin and elsewhere, complaints about deer have grown as communities have sprawled into areas that were once rural. Two Rivers was set to vote Monday night on allowing a limited bow hunt this fall. “

**Special thanks to “Exposing the Big Game,” http://exposingthebiggame.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/wisconsin-1-for-deer-harvest/, for providing this information!

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