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City requests 100 deer kill
Jason Ferguson
Published: Thursday, November 29th, 2012 |
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The City of Custer has requested to kill 100 deer within city limits this year, city community development director Rex Harris told the city council at its Nov. 19 meeting.
Harris said he filed the request with South Dakota Game, Fish &�Parks (GF&P). The 100 requested is double what the city requested last year, although Harris said the majority of those deer, if the request is approved, would be taken from Rocky Knolls Golf Course, where there is a herd of 100 to 200 deer that have caused $30,000 in damage.
Harris said the shooters this year plan to focus on older deer, and a request was made to GF&P to allow shooters to take some of the smaller bucks out. Talks are ongoing with GF&P to allow an in-town archery season to supplement the city’s thinning program.
Toward the end of the meeting, city resident Ellen Conroy asked if she could speak to the council, saying she wanted to give an update on what she thought was unscrupulous behavior by Hot Springs Citizens for Progress, a nonprofit organization headed up by part-time Custer resident Robert Johnson. Hot Springs Citizens for Progress bills itself as “stewarts (sic) of the past and wish to save historical Midwest buildings and homes in danger of being lost forever.”
The City of Custer has requested to kill 100 deer within city limits this year, city community development director Rex Harris told the city council at its Nov. 19 meeting. Harris said he filed the request with South Dakota Game, Fish &â��Parks (GF&P). The 100 requested is double what the city requested last year, although Harris said the majority of those deer, if the request is approved, would be taken from Rocky Knolls Golf Course, where there is a herd of 100 to 200 deer that have caused $30,000 in damage. Harris said the shooters this year plan to focus on older deer, and a request was made to GF&P to allow shooters to take some of the smaller bucks out. Talks are ongoing with GF&P to allow an in-town archery season to supplement the city’s thinning program. Toward the end of the meeting, city resident Ellen Conroy asked if she could speak to the council, saying she wanted to give an update on what she thought was unscrupulous behavior by Hot Springs Citizens for Progress, a nonprofit organization headed up by part-time Custer resident Robert Johnson. Hot Springs Citizens for Progress bills itself as “stewarts (sic) of the past and wish to save historical Midwest buildings and homes in danger of being lost forever.” Available only in the print version of the Custer County Chronicle. To subscribe, call 605-673-2217.
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Current Comments
1 comments so far (post your own)December 3rd, 2012 at 07:05am
I find it unsettling that the City of Custer is requesting to kill 100 deer frequenting the golf course. The lawn on the golf curse is green. Custer County is in a drought. Of course the deer will congregate for food. In particular when there are not adequate land development regulations to maintain open space for the ungulates and other wildlife to graze. Almost every time an old homestead goes on the marked, Boot Hill for example, it is developed and the municipality expands to ease development costs. I pray Game and Fish give this request a hard look. The Golf Course can easily purchase an electric fence this attitude of if it is in the way kill it; well I guess thats in the genetic code of Custer County. I am still appalled by the marker displaying the site where the last free roaming bison was killed. I will be requesting the study from the Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist in this regard. In particular with the very soon virtual clear cut of the forest by the Vestal Project sale to NIeman's we are in for future enhanced wildlife habitat depletion. Take responsibility for your own property and learn to live with the wildlife in your back door. It is a blessing. Deidre J. Bainbridge