By Hayleigh Gowans
Staff Writer
Seventy-six white-tailed deer have been killed by federal sharpshooters this year, the result of the second year of the Fayetteville deer management program, Mayor Mark Olson recently announced.
Olson said a total of nine hunts were carried out by the sharpshooters from January to March, although the village board contracted for 10. The 76 deer yielded 2,195 pounds of venison, which equates to 8,700 meals donated to the Food Bank of Central New York, said Olson.
The program, started in 2016 and using United States Department of Agriculture sharpshooters, is a means to reduce the deer population within village limits.
In 2016, the program resulted in 89 deer killed. Olson said through speaking with representatives from the USDA that a decrease of up to 50 percent can occur in the second year of similar programs, but Fayetteville only saw a slight decrease of 13 deer.
Since the program began, the Town of Manlius Police Department has reported a 30 percent decrease in deer-related vehicle accidents. For next year’s program, Olson said the village board plans to continue to contract with the USDA sharpshooters, but will probably contract for less total hunts.
Olson has been speaking with other municipalities about this program, many of whom are looking into creating deer management programs of their own.
“I don’t think we set out to be the first in the area to do this,” said Olson. “We decided it was the right thing to do for our residents. I’ve explained it’s not most popular and not an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do for the well being of our residents.”
The USDA is expected to give a full, final report that includes the estimated population of white-tailed deer in the village as well as the results of a tick drag performed last year to the Fayetteville Village Office in the next week or so.
To learn more about the Fayetteville Deer Management Program, go to fayettevilleny.gov/NewsAndInformation/DeerManagementProposedPlan.
