The City of Charlevoix plans to kill 20 to 40 deer on the north side of the city sometime within the next two months.
City Council Member Janet Kalbfell says the decision comes after years of complaints from residents who are frustrated by increased damage to trees and gardens, car accidents, excessive deer droppings and a fear of Lyme disease.
“At one point, I had a neighbor call and say, ‘I'm counting 50 deer right now in a yard,’” said Kalbfell, who represents the area selected for the cull. “We knew that the population had exploded, so it was not a surprise to me that [residents] wanted something done.”
Charlevoix joins several other Michigan communities that are considering or have already used lethal control on white-tailed deer, including Ludington, Big Rapids, Ann Arbor, Livonia and Meridian Township.
Police Chief Jill McDonnell has been working with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to move the process forward.
“Since 2018 or 2019, we've been tracking the deer population … and complaints from citizens regarding the deer population in the city,” said McDonnell.
The city recently received the necessary state permit to move forward. They will spend around $15,000 thinning out the herd.
City manager Mark Heydlauff says some residents voiced their opposition.
“There are residents who very much appreciate seeing the deer,” said Heydlauff. “They recognize them as part of the northern Michigan wild landscape.”
Others voiced ethical or financial concerns.
But overall, Heydlauff says, the city heard overwhelming support for the cull. He says Charlevoix will start with this cull, then evaluate next steps.
“Deer don’t know a city boundary, and they don’t know the expectations of property owners,” he said.
He and Council Member Kalbfell say there are ongoing efforts to educate homeowners about more deer resistant plants. Heydlauff says the city will continue working with DNR biologists to figure out how best to manage the population going forward.
Copyright 2023 Interlochen Public Radio. To see more, visit Interlochen Public Radio.
