Helicopter Over Avon Lake is Counting Deer
Helicopter survey deemed necessary prior to start of culling program.
If you see a helicopter flying overhead this week, don’t be alarmed.
The helicopter, which will include an Avon Lake police officer, will be flying over Avon Lake attempting to count the number of deer inhabiting the city. The city is waiting for the first snowfall, which enables the helicopter’s occupants to more easily spot the deer.
“We will be seeing a helicopter; it will be flying in a grid formation recording deer,” Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka said.
When the count occurs depends on the weather. On March 4, Zilka said Wednesday was a possibility due to potential snow, but on March 6, his office said a flight wasn’t scheduled because of lack of snowfall.
The city has put aside $4,000 for the helicopter survey. They have contracted with Precision Helicopter Services to conduct the survey.
T.J. Bencin, owner of Precision Helicopter Services said it was likely the count would happen this week.
A snow cover makes for a better count, since it’s easier to spot the deer.
ODNR recommends the process over infrared process used at night. Using a helicopter
“There seem to be a lot more animals than we think,” Zilka said, saying he has heard numbers from 40 up to 300.
“We had one man last week who said he saw at least 118 deer in one day in a square mile,” Zilka said at the March 4 council meeting.
Councilman John Shondel noted the Service Department collected more than 48 dear carcasses in 2012.
“So there is obviously more than 40 deer,” Shondel said.
ODNR recommends that before the city moves ahead with the culling program, it completes a helicopter count.
In January, City Council ended a multi-year debate as to how to control the city’s deer population. The new legislation authorizes Zilka, Police Chief David Owad and other officials to develop a deer control plan.
Zilka said he wanted the public to be aware of the helicopter flying above, particularly residents in the city’s southeast quadrant. Some residents were complaining of helicopter noise, believing part of the problem was helicopter traffic from the new Avon Cleveland Clinic. Zilka said in February, the clinic conducted 62 flights, only nine of which strayed from the I-90 flight path.
George Z
12:57 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
Didn't the city just ask us for more money for the ambulance levy because there was nothing else to cut? I recognize that this not a big ticket item, but what will be done if we do get a total? No hunting can be done in Kopf Resv where the deer primarily hang out in. Seems like a poor item.
G.W.
6:47 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
How interesting. Hunting fees pay for parks and state studies of deer herds. Our license fees are increasing dramatically this year, our harvest limit is being reduced, and they are eliminating some portion of urban zones. This city has spent $4000.00 on a helicopter survey, as well as other costs of approval process. This before the costs of actually culling even begins. How much is the total cost of this project going to be when it is all finished? Are the police going to be paid to shoot these animals? Overtime? And is a policeman a better hunter than a seasoned bow hunter? Responsible license-bearing hunters could have solved this issue. Heck, You could have had a lottery at $40.00 a ticket and gained huge revenue into the city budget. And now doesn't sharpshooting involve rifles? Here we have a resource at our fingertips; an opportunity to create revenue and fulfill our duties, as stewards of the land. I personally am ashamed of the way this has played out. Issues need to be settled responsibly, not emotionally. This could all be resolved next hunting season in a positive, productive manner.
Ken Prince
4:04 pm on Friday, March 8, 2013
G.W.
Thank you for your well-reasoned thoughts. I’ve been saying the same thing for years. The next thing that is going to happen is (more) Coyotes are going to move in and a few little fluffy dogs will go missing from somebody’s back yard.
Somebody is apparently leaving piles of dry dog food out for the deer in Kopf park. I won’t list all of the reasons why this is a bad idea, but let me just say two things. 1 – Deer don’t eat dog food 2- It lays there and gets rancid. One of my dogs, a pure bred and trained bird dog, got into one of those piles and I ended up with a $200 vet bill and a dog that lost 10lbs over it. I’m willing to bet that whoever the idiot is that put this food out also votes. I guess we get the leadership that we deserve!
C’mon people pull your heads out of your backsides! There is no Walt Disney moment here, Bambi and Thumper are not in your back yards.
AvonLaker1234
8:28 am on Saturday, March 9, 2013
Here's how many deer are in Avon Lake = TOO MANY!
Hugh Hendry
8:26 am on Monday, March 11, 2013
I'd like to get these people who insist they see these huge number of deers and slap a lie detector on them! Anyone can spew any number until they are challenged. Well folks I challenge you to authenicate your numbers. Avon Lake is NOT home to terrorists deers as these deer killers are proposing. I submit there are a lot of lies, half-truths and self-serving statements being issued to instill a false sense of fear. Too bad the folks that propogate these falsehoods don't move to a more urban area where they could count hand guns and never see a deer attacking a car, or a deer holding a person captive in their back yard, or intimidating little children at school bus stops. This whole mess has got in the hands of wacked out people.
Ken Prince
11:35 am on Monday, March 11, 2013
My wife regularly counts 30-50 deer on a 45 minute walk through Kopf. There are also 3 or 4 that live in that little patch of "woods" on Lake Rd next to the pool entrance. I counted 23 in the back of Weiss Field yesterday. That's all the "authentication" I need. I'm guessing Hugh is one of those voters I mentioned. I do have to agree with him about the "wacked out people" though.
sandy maline
9:21 am on Friday, March 15, 2013
Have they started culling the deer? I used to love watching them in my backyard and I haven't seen them lately. I really enjoy having them live around me I just drive more cautious.
B. H.
11:50 am on Monday, March 18, 2013
I would like to know how many reported deer / car accidents there are each week!
ramona padilla-dus
5:01 pm on Sunday, March 24, 2013
I regularly (almost daily) see 4 deer in my backyard and my neighbor's backyard... these are young deer... 2 maybe 3 years... I agree with the poster who said we should have sold limited bow tags.... we could have made some money for the city and solved our problem at the same time.... we have waaay too many deer in Avon Lake... and newsflash... we already have coyotes in town...
Craig Hulbert
8:35 pm on Monday, April 22, 2013
That helicopter needs to hang out over Kopf Reservation, I counted 17 tonight between my backyard and the kids playset in Belle Park. Since we are speaking of Avon Lake Nature, please check out http://www.avonlakenature.com
Andrea S
8:48 pm on Monday, April 22, 2013
I run through Kopf A LOT and I gotta say there are WAY less deer than there was a few months ago...I used to see several dozen during my run and now I usually don't count even 10.