DEER: Town hunt kills 79; more land sought
This is another example of a Connecticut town that is trying to lessen the local deer herd. They are considering a sharp-shooter program for next year if they can get the proper permits from the Connecticut DEP. I don’t really like the idea of sharp-shooters coming in and feel they should give it to the legally licensed hunters throughout the state but, that is my own opinion.
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The total tally in this year’s town deer hunt was 79, more than triple the “take†of the previous year, which saw the town’s first hunt. Hunting season ended last Thursday, Jan. 31.
Deer Implementation Committee Chair Tom Belote said he considers this year’s hunt to have been very successful, partly because it was expanded to include open space in Ridgebury and in southern Ridgefield. In the first year, deer-hunting on town open space was restricted to one “test parcel†at the Hemlock Hills preserve.
“Compared to 24 the first year, this is a very significant increase,†Mr. Belote said. “We just added a couple of very small parcels to the mix.â€
What’s next?
The plan for next year is to add more small parcels for bow hunting and to expand the hunt to include a sharp-shooting program in the winter, Mr. Belote said.
This year the Board of Selectmen voted to approve an application to the state Department of Environmental Protection Agency for a sharp-shooting permit, but it was too late to apply by the time the selectmen gave their approval, Mr. Belote said. The selectmen approved an application, but if the state issues a sharpshooting permit, the selectmen will then need to decide if they approve a sharpshooting program, he said.
“We’ll be putting in an application this spring for a controlled hunt in the fall and winter,†Mr. Belote said. “It would be appropriate in the corner of the golf course that is near the Keeler property that we’ve been hunting. It would be appropriate either at the Pine Mountain or Hemlock Hills parcels during the winter.
“Our goal would be to try to open up more public time at Hemlock Hills in the fall by having a shorter period there in the fall and an equivalent amount of time there over the winter for a sharpshooter program.â€
Mr. Belote said his committee is already planning for next year’s hunt.
“Right now we’re tracking deer signs to see the movement of the deer during the winter, so we can plan accordingly to have a controlled hunt in the winter period,†he said.
“We’re looking for additional smaller parcels throughout town that are appropriate for bow hunting.â€
Mr. Belote said the small open space parcel next to the golf course which the town hunted on this year proved that small parcels can yield big results. “It was very successful,†he said. “There had to have been at least 25 to 30 deer taken there.â€
It’s working
Looking at Ridgefield’s hunt in the context of aggressive town hunts in Redding and Wilton, Mr. Belote said, the program is having “a major impact†on the area deer population already.
“The vast majority of our take were does — there were only about 10 bucks,†he said. “You’re not only having an impact on the existing herd.â€
The town hunt “has always been designed to work in partnership with private land owners,†he said. “If you take our 79 deer and the hunt on private lands — which last year culled 184 with bow and another 62 with guns — that alone puts you at significant reduction of deer townwide.â€
In addition, 127 deer were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2007, he said, and some more deer were “put down†by police.
By Jenny Cox, Ridgefield Press Staff - © Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers