Call for interested citizens on deer management group

The Town of Yarmouth has put out a call for interested citizens to be part of a working group that will be aimed at coming up with a strategy to control the deer population in the town.

Namely, the town is seeking three citizens to join the working group. To apply, people are asked to send an email to admin@townofyarmouth.ca with their name, phone number, and a brief explanation of why they would like to join the group.

The deer population has seen a large growth in numbers in the town in recent years.

The town says the deer are destroying gardens and landscaping, create the potential for motor vehicle accidents and are causing other types of problems.

In April, a motion was passed at a Yarmouth town council meeting to use a deer management strategy developed by the Town of Truro as a guide for developing a strategy in Yarmouth.

“The strategy will address all issues related to the overpopulation of deer in town. This includes reducing problems with deer as they affect individual properties, offering public education, and exploring options for reducing the population,” the town says.

The strategy will be developed with oversight and guidance from Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

In Truro, one thing that took place was a controlled cull using experienced cross bow hunters.

The Town of Yarmouth says a key step in implementing a Deer Management Strategy involves forming a Deer Management Working Group. The group will include town staff, Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables representatives, members of the community, and other experts.

The group will look at all sides of the issue to find short and long-term solutions.