A proposal to amend an ordinance in West Bend to issue special permits to allow bow hunting to trim the deer herd in local parks was met with some push back Monday during the common council meeting.
District 2 alderman Steve Hutchins outlined the proposal along with Dist. 1 alderman John Butschlick; both aldermen said they received a lot of complaints from neighbors who say the deer are eating their flowers and damaging their gardens.
The bow and arrow and cross-bow program mirrors the one in place designed to manage deer populations in Dane County.
The ordinance is written to allow bow and arrow or cross bow, a special permit would be needed and shots would have to be taken from an elevated area. Police would have to be called prior to going into the woods and after a hunter exits the woods.
The program would be monitored by the DNR and the special hunting permit would run in conjunction with the bow hunting season.
“We’re going to hunt the parks because if you hunt everything around it, the parks turn into sanctuaries,” said Hutchins. “Some neighbors are seeing 20 deer at a crack.”
District 7 alderman Adam Williquette said he was an avid hunter but he was outspoken against the program. “I don’t think it’s a good idea because of people in parks and our average park size isn’t as big as the ones in Dane County,” he said.
The vote to amend the ordinance was split 4 – 4 with aldermen Chris Jenkins, Rich Kasten, Williquette and Roger Kist voting against the measure. Those voting in favor were aldermen Butschlick, Hutchins, Mike Chevalier, and Steve Hoogester
Mayor Kraig Sadownikow broke the tie by voting ‘yes’ for the special permit. “I’m voting in favor but I want to listen to constituents and weigh in on the 50-yard criteria,” he said.
A second reading of the ordinance must be held before it could become official. That reading will likely be held later this month.
Some of the other particulars of the ordinance:
-Designated a few parks to start and then expand from there.
-The process is administered by the DNR and the permit goes on a lottery system. Tags are provided on DNR website
-Fifteen permits each year and permits are site specific.
-Hunters will call WBPD to notify them when they’re going into the parks to hunt.
-If you have a ticket from DNR or trespassing ticket you will not be allowed to hunt
-All hunting rules will apply and be enforced by wardens from the DNR.
-Special permits will be issued and the season will coincide with the regular bow hunting season which runs September – December and to the end of January.
-Hunters will have to pull tree stands out of the park each day they’re through hunting.
-Dane County posts signs that a bow hunter is in the area.
Photo courtesy chucksadventures.blogspot.com
Now I know why the streets in West Bend aren’t getting fixed… it’s because of an imaginary deer herd in our city parks.
Terry Kuss
West Bend
262-334-2810
takuss@charter.net
I live by one of the bigger parks in this city. The few deer that live in this area are so use to seeing people they stand right by you. How is that even fair. There are plenty of areas outside of the city that people can hunt, they do not need to be in a city. Just because the police are called does not mean someone cant get hit walking the trails. And I go through them daily. I do not want to be hit by a arrow. So glad the city jumped on this because a couple people complained. What about the rest of us that live in this city & actually use the city parks who do not want to get hit by an arrow in a park that our tax money helps keep together.