Deer population seeing decrease, survey reports

There are fewer brown four-legged species roaming the streets in Avon Lake.

The city recently released its annual deer control survey in August and found sharp declines.

Avon Lake’s deer population management plan was released in 2015 and records annual statistics on general public opinion in regards to the city’s deer population and efforts to effectively manage their presence.

Avon Lake Ward 3 Councilwoman Eileen Campo, who oversees the plan as chair of Council’s Natural Resources, Environment and DigitalMedia Committee, said the results in the 2019 survey were encouraging.

“We use this information to help decide how to progress the city culling for the coming year,” Campo said. “It does show based on the answers fromthe residents, the deer management program is working.”

More than half of the 228 respondents indicated they believe the deer population is either declining or holding steady, she said.

“So, most people think that the deer population is not increasing,” Campo said. “And there are more people saying that the deer population is actually going down.

“That’s a good indication that the the deer management programis indeed working.”

In analyzing the deer population over the past year, 67.9 percent of respondents believe it is either stable or decreasing, she said.

The survey

The survey also asks respondents their perception of the city’s deer population over the last five years.

Out of the respondents, 32.7 percent believe the deer population is decreasing and 20.4 percent believe the population is stable. This figures represent a 12 percent increase since 2018, and the number of people who believe this has more than doubled since 2016.

The plan stipulates goals of having fewer than 20 deer carcass pickups per year. So far in 2019, there have been seven pickups, which places the city in a strong position to meet its goals, officials said.

In addition, statistics show only four deer related car accidents, againbeating the plan’s goal of 10.

The management plan

Former Council-at-Large member John Shondel wrote the plan in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

It’s one of the few deer management plans in Northeast Ohio. Avon Lake Mayor Greg Zilka noted Avon Lake’s progressive plan has served as a model for other communities.

“All the indicators indicate that the program we’ve started is working, and there are less people expressing concern about their flowers being eaten, their annuals, perennials and all of the dimensions are moving in the right direction,” Zilka said.

The plan specifies priority areas for the city in reducing deer management and documents deer pickups, auto accidents and other deer management issues going back to 2011.

“It is proven success in we’re being still used as the guide andmodel for cities, suburban areas, reducing their deer population,” Zilka said. “So, it’s very good to read that survey and also to read the results that you just mentioned.

“We’re heading in the right direction, and we can’t take our foot off the gas. We still have to continue to manage, not eliminate the deer population, but to keep themunder control so that they can coexist with human beings.”