Home »
Kimberley sets deer trans-location at 50
By Nowell Berg
City of Kimberley council Feb. 14 voted to translocate 50 deer.
A recommendation brought forward by the Urban Deer Advisory Committee (UDAC) was moved by Coun. Darryl Oakley and seconded by Coun. Albert Hoglund. It says: “according to the Managing for the Future document 20 – 30 deer must be removed from the community, and Chapman Camp should be considered as a primary focus for removal.”
Oakley said UDAC uses a matrix to determine the number of deer to be removed which is based on the fall (2016) deer count. He pointed out that 25 deer complaints were received from residents in 2016; however, these complaints were not part of determining the number of deer to be removed.
Coun. Kent Goodwin questioned if 30 deer were enough, suggesting that perhaps up to “120 or 130” deer should be removed from Kimberley.
Mayor Don McCormick said that targeting only 30 deer might be premature because the city had no budget to remove deer in 2017. The fall deer count could show the need for more or less deer to be removed. Additionally, he pointed out the trans-location study was on-going and it would be important to wait for its conclusions as it was a “viable tool to remove deer.”
Hoglund said he was okay with the motion but said the urban deer issue is “the provincial government’s problem.” He went on to say it is the one who should be paying for removal.
Mayor McCormick pointed out the trans-location study was funded by the provincial government and wanted to wait for the study to finish before “pushing ahead” with deer removal.
The original motion was defeated.
Coun. Oakley presented a second motion that would increase the number from 30 to 50 deer and the city should approach the provincial government to continue funding the trans-location program and/or pay for removal. This motion passed unanimously.
e-KNOW
