Wednesday, February 11, 2009

WISCONSIN NEWS: Continued Opposition to Oskhosh Cull

While only three deer have been killed so far by sharpshooters in Oshkosh, controversy surrounding the issue is alive and well.

"The deer were out there before other houses were," said Faye Helstrom of Oshkosh. "We're invading their territory."

Contention boiled over well before a city council meeting discussing the issue even began. As both sides met, heated words filled the hallway.

"A huge buck came across the street. I don't know how they missed this deer," Nancy Binder of Oshkosh said describe a near miss. "I would hate to have my grandchildren in that car."

Supporters feel the growing deer population is a safety risk, while opponents claim the city council should have further explored non-lethal means of controlling the herd.

"Look what's happened since you made a decision to cull these deer," said Amy Haberkorn of Oshkosh. "The anger is growing and it's going to continue to grow and divide the city."

Of the three deer killed, Oshkosh police told the crowd one was a fawn, drawing boos from some. However, others say the issue must be treated rationally.

"Their argument is purely emotional and I don't think they should be given the same weight as the people who are actually dealing with the deer problems in their own neighborhood," an Oshkosh man said.

The council has already made its stance on the issue clear. All but one member has voted in favor of sharpshooters.

"We're going to fight city hall and we're going to win this one," Janet Helstrom of Oshkosh said.

Opponents of the cull say they've collected more than 700 signatures but at this point no change has been made. The sharpshooters have a contract to cull up to 40 deer by the end of the year.

Source: Fox 11 Online

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Amy Haberkkorn claims to have a magic potent to keep the deer away. Why hasn't she shared her concoction with anyone???? Is she waiting until she can make money off of it?