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Bow hunters will remove deer from township parks, other sites Sunday, May 04, 2008 By Janice Crompton, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Peters council hopes there will eventually be fewer vehicle accidents, more shrubs and a smaller deer herd in the township after voting unanimously Monday to open township parks and other properties to bow hunting.

The move came in the wake of a three-month U.S. Department of Agriculture study commissioned by the township that found a population density of about 69 deer per square mile. That's more deer than any other nearby municipality, including Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon, both of which have used sharpshooters to cull herds in recent years.

As part of the study, investigators from the USDA visited the township three times from December through February, and each time traversed 50 miles of randomly selected township roads. Working at night with infrared lenses and cameras, they used a proven formula to estimate the number of deer in the township at about 1,400. An ideal population would be closer to 400.

Bow hunting may not be the most effective population control method, township Manager Michael Silvestri said, but a survey of Peters residents last year showed that while most saw deer as a growing nuisance and safety problem, many favored bow hunting over shooting deer with firearms. The township's park and recreation board also approved the idea.

A deer management committee and the township's Environmental Quality Board were charged with coming up with a solution, and allowing bow hunting on township property was a good way to begin curbing the population growth, said board member Mike Getto, who called it "a baby step in the right direction."

"There needs to be a long-term and sustained effort," he said.

Bow hunters who want to participate in hunting on township property must follow a number of guidelines and shell out about $30 for fees and permits, not including a state bow hunting license.

Peters police Capt. Michael Yanchak said those interested will undergo a criminal history and game violations records check, complete a bow hunter education course, and pass a qualifying target test given by the township.

And, there's more. Bow hunters must be harnessed into an elevated position, such as a tree stand, and they will be required to kill at least one antlerless deer before going after an antlered deer. They must report kills to the township, they cannot kill more deer than they have a license for, and the hunters get to keep the deer they harvest.

Already, Capt. Yanchak said, he's had inquiries from food banks and others who are interested in taking any unwanted venison. Bow season this year will be about 16 to 17 weeks long, on and off from Sept. 20 until the end of January, said Dan Sitler, a wildlife conservation officer with the state Game Commission.

State game laws would apply to local archers, allowing hunting a half hour before dawn to a half hour after dusk every day but Sunday. Parks and other areas hosting hunters will be posted during hunting season. The township is to receive a progress report at the end of each hunting season.

Mr. Sitler said deer archery programs in North Park, South Park and Boyce Park have been going on for years with no problems.

Bow hunters will have access to parks, such as Peterswood, Peters Lake, Elm Grove and Old Trail, along with township-owned open spaces. For areas smaller than about five acres, Mr. Silvestri said, surrounding residents will be consulted before hunting takes place.

Public reaction at the meeting was mixed, but animal lovers like Dave Wallach, who served on the deer committee and who feeds deer in his yard, said he would rather see the deer have "one bad day" than starve to death from overpopulation.

Resident Sue Ralston said she was concerned about the safety of children in the parks and nearby woods. She and other residents brought up the possibility that a deer struck in a park may wonder away and die on private property.

Other residents wondered if they could band together and bring bow hunters to their properties to alleviate the population. Mr. Silvestri said they could, and said he hoped area country clubs and cemeteries would also allow hunting on their properties.

Last year, the township began matching owners of some of the larger tracts of property in the township with bow hunters to begin expanding deer hunting in the area.

Owners of some of the larger farms in the township also use hunters to help preserve their crops.

Mr. Sitler recommended the township develop a public education program before implementing the hunt, and Mr. Silvestri said residents will hear more about it by this summer.

To fill out an application or learn more about the program, visit www.peterstownship.com.

Joe

Joe

I filled out the application. Dont know if i'll ever make it there to hunt but it doesent hurt to sign up just in case.

As far as the number of deer taken, some areas are overloaded so a lot of deer are taken. In our earlier years in the parks I used to start with 12 doe tags... and sometimes I bought more. That's the idea of these programs - thin out the herds and restore some balance. I'd usually keep about 1/2 dozen deer, and the rest went to the food bank. Most guys only keep 2-3 and give the rest to the needy, so it's a win-win proposition.

Joe said to date WMA has donated over 15 tons of venison, and it's not hard to believe. When I was running the program we were never under 1,500 pounds for a year, and the program has expanded to cover a lot more area since those days.

I hope you Peters Township guys get out there and show 'em how it's done!

I'm really glad to see a municipality take a stand against the bunny-huggers and do what's right for once, regardless of opposition. I don't know that there was much since I read the PG every day and this is the first I've seen of the hunt, but no doubt there was some opposition.

If they really estimate the population at 69 deer per square mile, that's right up there with North Park the first year... and that's a lot of deer. I hope the hunters they select realize that for the first couple of years it's not as much hunting as it is culling. I know it sounds weird but killing two or three deer a day, dragging them out of the woods whole and hustling to a processing station gets to be work after awhile!

But then again, we are America's original conservationists!

Frank Where in Murrysville-Crowfoot?? I may have to come to get certified!!

Very great sight!

Joe

Because bowhunting is a close-range activity (generally 30 yards or less), and hunters have ample opportunity to clearly identify their targets, accidents are virtually unheard of. Also, arrows shed energy quickly, and rarely travel more than 50 to 75 yards when shot from a standing position on the ground. Because all WMA hunters are required to hunt from elevated tree stands, all arrows enter the ground within feet of the intended target.

Some hard facts provided by the Pennsylvania Game Commission: 1. There are 1.3 million hunters in Pennsylvania, with approximately 16,000 of them being archery hunters; 2. From 1992 to 2007 (A 15-year period!) there were only 17 hunting accidents during archery season. This amounts to 1.13 incidents per year. 3. There were no fatalities. 4. None of the incidents involved non-hunters. 5. None of the incidents involved non-hunters pets or companion animals.