Helena Deer Slaughter to cost Big Bucks

In Helena, Montana, of all places. Has this town been taken over by nincompoops? Environmental assessment, pregnant does, sharpshooters, $$$$$$$$$$$ ? What next?

If these were lions or bears, they would be “rehabilitated”.

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FWP commissioners may push back deer plan timeline

By LARRY KLINE – Independent Record – 04/16/08

Helena city officials and the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks will go before FWP commissioners on Thursday to ask for a delay in the city’s plan to kill 50 mule deer in Helena.The FWP Commission had approved a request from officials to use sharpshooters to kill the deer this spring, but a required environmental assessment has not yet been completed, and does will soon be giving birth to fawns.

With those two issues in mind, officials will ask the commission to allow the culling to take place between Aug. 15 and March 31. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at FWP’s Sixth Avenue headquarters. The Helena deer issue is slated for discussion after 10:30 a.m.

The city has proposed using bait and net traps on public property in the city to trap deer, which would be killed by city police officers using small-caliber firearms. The meat would be given to needy families.

FWP officials are preparing an environmental assessment on the plan, which should be completed and available for public comment next month, department spokesman Tom Palmer said.

A task force of volunteers appointed by city commissioners last year determined the city may be home to as many as 700 mule deer. The group, after more than a year of study, recommended using sharpshooters to kill up to 350 deer.

FWP commissioners balked at the recommendation and initially rejected the notion of killing any deer in town. They then reconsidered and gave their permission for the city to take up to 50 deer in a pilot program.