Sunday, November 14, 2010

OHIO NEWS: Deer Reduction Planned for Dayton Metropark

A deer cull is planned for Hills and Dales, a small urban park in a Dayton suburb.
Sharpshooters from Five Rivers MetroParks will thin the deer herd in Hills and Dales Park for the first time this year, with the nighttime shoots beginning as early as this weekend and continuing into the winter.

Michael Enright, MetroParks’ conservation biologist, said the latest aerial infrared survey showed 22 deer in and around the small park on the Kettering-Oakwood border. That population has changed little since 2003, but Enright said it is almost three times higher than the 20 deer per square mile recommendation, and over time, the forest has begun to show damage.

This is the first cull to take place at Hills and Dales. A few years back, Oakwood residents opposed any culling in the municipality. However, the city does not have jurisdiction over the Metropark. The park is in a very affluent area, so it will be interesting to see how this develops.

Source: Dayton Daily News