My office met with the Police Chief, members of her team, our Public Works Director and our Director of Engineering, Planning & Development to discuss the implementation of a managed hunt and possible culling program to assist in the control of over population of deer that now habitat the Aberdeen property. Following considerable deliberation, the team is recommending a pilot program limited to the archery season, which will combine both citizens and town employees who meet qualifying procedures outlined below. The administration does not anticipate that the managed hunt during the archery season will significantly reduce the herd by the estimated 150-180 that now occupy the property. Throughout the season, we will evaluate the reduction of our population and make a decision on the necessity and when we would initiate a process to cull the deer to levels that ensure sustainability of the nutrient bank.

As I have discussed in my previous memo to Council (enclosed), the real threat to our nutrient bank will occur during the beginning of the winter season where the foliage has dropped and available food sources have gone through seasonal die off due to frost, freeze and snow cover. In order to maintain the bank as a viable bank to sell nutrient credits, the town must sustain 400 trees per acre. While our contractor has planted 1,200 trees per acre, the combination of disease, drought, possible insect infestation, extreme freeze and/or suffocation of the seedlings by grass, weeds and invasive species. When adding deer predation to this list of threats to the nutrient bank could easily bring our tree level below the required numbers.

• The managed hunt will be open during archery season from Oct. 2 – Nov. 12

• An employee committee will be established to develop application and rules and procedures

• A lottery to select six citizens to participate in the managed hunt will be held following the advertisement by news release and website

• Application process will be open through August-hunters will be responsible for $10 application fee plus cost of background check if selected – cost tbd

• These six applications which will be selected through the lottery, will be submitted for background checks and archery qualifying

• Selected hunters must take a qualifying test at one of the town’s approved facilities

• Selected hunters will be required to participate in mandatory field orientation at the Aberdeen property and classroom safety instruction where protocol will be distributed to all hunters 

• Selected hunters will be assigned to a designated area to hunt – tree stands will be purchased and installed by the town (6 locations tbd)

• Hunting will be permitted 7 days week following the Dept. of Wildlife Resources hunting regulations

• Hunters will be required to read and sign a hold harmless agreement

• ATV’s are not permitted on the site at any time
• All deer harvested will be required to be dragged between tree rows by hand

• If necessary, during the months of August and September, the administration (PD and PW) will be soliciting the permits and procedures for a managed hunt program to assist in culling the deer to levels that ensure the sustainability of the nutrient bank

If there is a full consensus by the Council towards this strategy, we will begin implementation immediately.