In an effort to reduce incidents of deer aggression across the community, the City of Cranbrook has removed 50 deer from the urban herd over the past two months.

Thirty mule deer and 20 whitetail deer were removed with 1,852 lbs. of game meat being donated and distributed to three local non-profit organizations for human consumption.

All meat preparation was conducted by qualified butchers and processed in facilities inspected and approved by both Interior Health and the Ministry of Forest, Land and Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO). The antlers, hooves and hides have been donated to the aq’am community.

A wildlife permit was issued to the city on October 16, 2017 by MFLNRO and was valid from December 1, 2017 to March 15, 2018, allowing for a total of 50 animals to be removed.

The city targeted very specific areas of the community for deer removal, based on public complaints of deer aggression received in 2017 by both the City of Cranbrook and the provincial toll-free Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line. Priority areas identified by the local Conservation Officer Service were also important factors in helping the city determine clover trap locations.

The majority of the deer removed were captured in more central areas of the community where deer aggression complaints were most abundant over the past two years. Based on the results of this recent population control effort, most of the public complaints appear to have been around aggressive whitetail deer, not mule deer, which historically have been reported to be the more aggressive of the two species.

The City of Cranbrook remains committed to continuing to manage the urban deer population through a combination of population reduction and public education.

The city continues to work hard to meet the expectations of residents around urban deer management in the community and appreciates the patience and understanding of the public as this important work continues.

City of Cranbrook

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