More than 50 residents packed into the Fayetteville Village Courtroom on Oct. 8 to learn more about — and to voice their opinions on — the proposed white-tailed deer management program, which would include a bait-and-cull bow hunting system to decrease the deer population in Fayetteville.

The Fayetteville Deer Committee is made up of about 10 citizens who work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Cornell Cooperative Extension to find which program will work in Fayetteville. The Oct. 8 meeting was moderated by Kristina Ferrare, a representative from Cornell Cooperative Extension Onondaga County, and members of the deer committee presented some information about the proposed deer management program.

Reasons for the need of a white-tailed deer management program in Fayetteville, according to the deer committee, are the increase in lyme disease cases within the village, property damage, increased vehicular accidents involving deer and negative impacts to natural plant communities.

Some key points citizens learned of the program at the meeting were that:

∙The first round of hunts will be from Dec. 23 to March 2016.

∙Only antlered deer will be targeted.

∙Participants are only allowed to use a compound bow or crossbow.

∙The program will be limited to bow hunters who are village residents.

∙Hunters must complete a rigorous nine-step application process including an archery proficiency test.

∙Culling activities will occur over bait stations from 12-foot tree stands.

∙Hunting activities will only occur on “deer management areas (DMA)” approved by landowners and the public would be notified where and when DMAs will occur by signs and notifications through the village.

∙Hunts would occur from one hour before legal sunset to 11 p.m.

Jason Fridley, a member of the deer committee and an associate professor of biology at Syracuse University, explained that the overpopulation of deer has been linked to the changes humans have made to forest areas by thinning out native shrubs and tree species, which create an ideal habitat for deer.

“The repercussions of that on forests have been enormous. … A far more immediate and lasting problem is deer overabundance because deer like these areas,” said Fridley. “I cannot convey the enormity of the problem and, as a scientist, I’m delighted Fayetteville has taken the opportunity to combat the problem and set an example for other areas with this problem.”

According to Dave Cassel, a member of the deer committee, this program is favorable compared to other deer population control tactics such as sterilization, predator or parasite introduction, poisoning or capture-and-kill because it relatively safe due to regulations put in place — and is projected to cost less than $1,000 in its first year.

Members of the audience voiced support and opposition to the proposed program.

“I’ve noticed a lot more people complaining about the deer and the impacts they have on their property and their families,” said Alan LaFrance, owner of a pest control company in Pompey. “We haven’t taken their [deer] habitat, we’ve created it.”

“I removed two ticks from my two-year-old this summer. The deer are not afraid and it is a problem,” said Howard King, a resident of Fayetteville. “Something needs to be done and I think Fayetteville needs to move forward with a program.”

“Since 2004, I have heard a lot of complaints about the deer,” said Fayetteville Mayor Mark Olson. “Whether you believe in this program or not, at least we’re trying something. … The deer are a huge problem and we’re not going to sit here anymore and turn a blind eye to it.”

On the other side of the issue, some residents did not think this proposed plan was suitable for the village of Fayetteville.

Karen Antczuk, a veterinarian and a board member of the Animal Alliance of Greater Syracuse, said sterilization of female deer is a more humane and effective means to control population. “I personally support deer management, but I support humane management,” she said.

“I’m here to speak on the safety of the program,” said Fayetteville resident Cindy Madison. “How are we going to ensure our pets and children won’t be hurt during theses hunts?”

“We need more expert analysis,” said Jan Markarian, a contributor to the Syracuse-Onondaga Urban Deer Task Force. “Programs like these need recommendations and review by those knowledgeable in the area.”

According to the deer committee, they would meet periodically to discuss the success of the program, which would be measured by changes in Lyme Disease cases, tick population, deer-vehicle accidents and residential property damage. Cassel said the committee hopes to decrease the population density of white-tailed deer in the village to 8 deer per square mile, but that number is difficult to attain. If the program was found to not be effective, the deer committee would terminate this plan.

Cassel said the deer committee will take into consideration the recommendations and comments made at the Oct. 8 meeting before finalizing a plan.

The village board already took the first step in completing this plan in July when they voted to rescind Chapter 75 of the village laws, which relates to the discharge of firearms in the village, and replaced it with an updated version that would allow bow hunting for deer management purposes as long as a hunter gains a permit from the village office. A final deer management plan would have to be approved by the Fayetteville Village Board before going into effect.

A full version of the proposed Fayetteville Deer Management Program can be found at fayettevilleny.gov/NewsAndInformation/VillageNews/DownloadFile.aspx?id=1253.