The Syracuse Common Council finalized the city’s plan to drastically reduce its deer population with government-contracted sharpshooters during Wednesday’s meeting.

Mayor Ben Walsh’s deer and tick management advisory group presented a comprehensive management plan to the council earlier this year. In the report, the group proposed an official “trap and kill” method as the most efficient way to reduce the overwhelming amount of deer in residential areas.

Deer in Syracuse cause the most damage through auto accidents and spreading ticks, according to a report the advisory group released in June. The animals can affect forest ecosystems, water runoff excess and invasive plant life — which may damage residential properties.

The report estimated that there are 50 deer per square mile in the city’s Eastside, where Syracuse University is located.

The plan is set to be implemented soon. The council will vote on a number of measures regarding the plan next Wednesday.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs will file a permit with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation for workers to begin culling, or killing, the deer this fall.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will then contract sharpshooters using professional equipment such as high-level motion detectors, said Julie LaFave, commissioner for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Youth Programs.

The process will take place at predetermined locations at least 500 feet from public roadways and will begin at dusk during the winter months, LaFave said. Councilor Joseph Carni, of the 1st district, expressed support for the measure.

“This is something we should have done years ago,” Carni said.

Operations may take place in residential areas, a matter of concern for some councilors.

Councilor Latoya Allen, of the 4th district, and Council President Helen Hudson stressed the importance of informing city residents beforehand for their safety, given the nighttime hours of operation.

“If you come out there at dusk, this seems like a problem,” Allen said.

Other council members said it was important for discretion about the sharpshooting locations. Councilor Joe Driscoll, of the 5th district, cited possible interference from animal rights activists. He also pointed to the location approval process in place for shooters to approach an area.

“It’s not like someone on Brookford (Road) is going to open their back window and be surprised by seeing sharpshooters in their backyard,” he said.

The taskforce would work in coordination with the police department, LaFave told the council.

Public outreach is still critical to the operation’s success. The Department of Parks and Recreation will likely send a press release communicating the activities to affected residents beforehand, she said.

Published on October 3, 2019 at 1:04 am

Contact Marnie: ammunozc@syr.edu