Poll: Do You Support Controlled Bow Hunting in Avon Lake?
One council member wants the option of bow hunting in Avon Lake explored to control the deer population.
Photos
‘Tis the season. Reindeer may be practicing their flying skills for Christmas, but in Avon Lake, the question of deer overpopulation continues to take center stage.
Avon Lake Councilwoman Jennifer Fenderbosch, who is completing a deer count in the city, said the city can support a healthy herd of 40 deer. She recently estimated there are more than 200 deer living in Avon Lake; too many to maintain a healthy deer population.
Fenderbosch said she would like to see the option of bow hunting explored to keep the deer population under control. At a recent Environmental Committee meeting she said hunting would require a marksmanship test to receive a permit. Huntint would be permited during hunting season only properties that quality per ODNR regulations. (Currently, only 11 properties in Avon Lake meet the 5+ acre, agriculturally zoned criteria.) Property owners would need to give consent to allow hunting.
We’re asking the public: Do you support bow hunting to thin the herd in Avon Lake? Currently hunting of any sort within city limits. Take our poll. Your vote is confidential.
Editor's note: The photo accompanying this article was taken in the Kopf Reservation which is not an acceptable property for hunting. The photo is for illustration purposes only.
Eileen
10:44 am on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Just reported a dead deer that I saw this morning. I hope if Avon Lake has any culling of the deer they are not just left lying there, but discarded in a humane manner. Also when traveling Walker Rd. mainly in the evening, if drivers would drive more SLOWLY with the knowledge of the deer population we would have less accidents. Avon Lake is not that big. What's the big rush?
Lori E. Switaj
11:05 am on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Eileen, excellent point about driving slowly. I had a near miss last night on Electric (at dusk) but I wasn't moving very fast. We'll be posting an article later on what happens to deer that are culled/killed by a car.
Sarah G.
11:15 am on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
While driving slow would be the right idea, unfortunately you can never stop teenagers and younger crowds to abide to a slower speed limit (as well as careless adults). The fact that there are more than 200 deer in avon lake compared to the 40 that it should be indicates something needs to be done about this overpopulation.....
Nick Fernando
2:48 pm on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
No one is safe! We MUST act quickly. They are ruining the yards of the distinctive sub-developments of this fine city!
Jeanne James
6:53 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Where are the acceptable areas for hunting? While no one is safe from hitting a deer with your vehicle, we need to make sure that the area is also safe from stray arrows. The deer are mostly in wooded areas. Most of the wooded areas are surrounded by housing and have walking paths. How is safety being addressed?
Doug E
10:05 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012
As a expirience bow hunter I can tell you that the typical range for shooting deer is within 30 yards. Some hunters will tell you they've shot deer at 50 yards or more (blah, blah, blah). At 30 yards it is nearly impossible to mistake your intended target. I don't think that people should be concerned about stray arrows flying around populated areas.
Candace Ashton
7:59 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I would support the idea if the hunting areas are clearly posted and notices are put in all area newspapers. I would also suggest that a meat processor come forward who would be willing to process the meat and donate it to a food bank.
Zack Doyle
2:44 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
I am new to AvonLakePatch, however, I was made aware of the possibility of controlled archery hunts via business partners in the Avon Lake area several weeks ago. They have asked me to weigh in on the topic. I am an avid bowhunter, and have taken over 100 white-tailed deer with archery equipment, many of which were taken in very urban areas. I also specialize in Wildlife Management and Biology, particularly pertaining to white-tailed deer. I am not from the Avon Lake area, although I travel to and stay in Avon Lake about once a month right on Walker Rd. The same issues you face in Avon Lake are present in many areas of the country, including my home state of Pennsylvania. The Southeast region of our state has a severe overpopulation. Controlled archery hunts are in practice in many of these areas. I also need to mention that the estimate of 200 deer in Avon Lake is very conservative from my observations. I am here to tell you that a controlled hunt is the correct answer to your problem for quite a few reasons. Controlled archery hunts are extremely safe. "Stray arrows" should not be of any concern whatsoever. Safety can be controlled by giving out a set number of urban archery permits for the Avon Lake area, and requiring those hunters to pass a safety and weapon proficiency test. Many of the urban hunts here in Southeast Pa use this method.
Zack Doyle
2:53 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
While no method of hunting is completely safe, a controlled archery hunt is much more safe and less expensive than using sharp shooters to handle the same problem. Animal birth control is also extremely expensive and takes years to be effective. Remember these are your tax dollars at work. Charging a fee for the urban permits is a great way to raise money for a conservation effort or project as well. As far as donation of the venison, there are numerous processors in Northern Ohio that participate in one of several harvest sharing programs, and I assure you that the meat would go to good use. Remember, hunters started wildlife conservation in the United States, and generate more revenue for conservation than all other contributors combined. I am all for urban bowhunting in Avon Lake. It is by far the smartest answer to the problem. I personally purchase an Ohio non-resident hunting license and bowhunt Ohio every year, and if it were passed, you could sign me up today.
Dan LaVigne
11:29 am on Thursday, November 24, 2011
Reply to Nick Fernando,30 years ago we not only had the deer but many more animals and now all we have are people like you. I will take the large number of deer to people like you
Nick Fernando
7:13 pm on Friday, November 25, 2011
Dan LaVigne- My concern, and should be yours, is that the woods needed to sustain a deer population are much better served by putting up sub-developments and new housing. We need the economy to get going again and getting rid of the deer is really our only option at this point.
Kristi
12:06 pm on Sunday, May 6, 2012
Nick - it's the constant development that has caused the problem. I'm all for economic development, but I'm also all for having a few trees and wooded areas in our city. Frankly, I like the deer. I would rather live with them than with people who think the way you do.
Candace Ashton
11:11 am on Saturday, November 26, 2011
I hope that Nick Fernando is just being factious.
Tamie Myers
12:29 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
I would like to see controlled bow hunting of deer in Avon Lake. I've lived here but three and a half years and I've seen more deer in this city in that time than I saw in ten years on a 90+ acre parcel that I used to own and manage for deer hunting in SE Ohio. In fact, one summer morning two years ago three deer, two young bucks in velvet and a doe, casually walked across my front lawn on Berkshire--within twenty feet of my house! (Too bad my house doesn't sit on one of those five-acre parcels.) Anyway, count me in for the safety and certification classes to be eligible to bow hunt deer in Avon Lake.
Jody Britton-Turner
1:17 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011
I agree with Zack. There is a great group called The IBO (International Bowhunting Org.) in Vermilion, Ohio. Web site is IBO.net. or call the office at 440-967-2137. I have been personally associated with this group for more than a dozen years. They stand for Safety, for the hunter and the population around the hunting area, and for ethical and humaine hunting. My husband is on the board of directors and we live here in Avon Lake. He has seen the size of the deer herds growing and knows we have a problem. No one wants to see an animal starve to death due to overpopulation. My husband, Chris Turner, would be glad to talk to city officals to see if he could be of any help. His email address is jcturner@oh.rr.com
Nicole Davis
1:47 pm on Friday, December 2, 2011
Jody, please have your husband contact Jennifer Fenderbosch. She is heading a committee about this very topic.
Phil McCracken
11:02 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
There is only one solution to this mess:
A giant deer-b-que.
celmontine frandfis
8:47 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
ya
G.W.
8:27 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Bowhunting from an elevated platform is the solution. On private land or in designated areas with registration and accountability. Safe and effective, a win-win solution.