Deer Sharpshooting Finished in Town and Country For The Winter

This winter's sharpshooting of the deer herd in Town and Country was completed last month and the final deer management report has been released. 

In November, the City of Town and Country  

(Read Previous Story: Winter Deer Management Plan Passed in Town and Country)  

Captain Gary Hoelzer, who researched and helped develop the city's deer management plan, said that number was determined by him and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).  

Hoelzer tells Patch the sharpshooting took place in from Dec. 14 to Dec. 29 and a total of 115 deer were culled.

Those results are expected to result in a reduction in deer versus vehicle collisions. 

Readers can view view the full reports in the PDF portion of this article. 

Following is a summary of this winter's deer management report. The summary was released by the city in an email.

• With 115 deer culled between December 14 and December 29th, significant progress was achieved in addressing the overpopulation of deer in Town and Country, specifically on the borders of Queeny Parkand in the Thornhill neighborhood, with Ward 2 accounting for 59% of the deer culled. However, the distance sampling study indicates a continued higher density of deer due to the proximity to Queeny Park. 

• The previous efforts last December and January along Conway Road have proved effective in maintaining a lower density of deer. Two sites in Ward 4 were closed early due to lack of deer activity. The low density was supported by observations during the distance samplings.

• We were successful in addressing the density of deer near the Muirfield neighborhood in the northern sect ion of Town and Country. 

• All deer were donated to the Share the Harvest program. Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, this program disseminates the meat to the area food pantries where it is distributed to those in need.

• The recreational feeding of deer, while not substantiated, does significantly impact the effectiveness of the management program. This practice is not only discouraged by conservation and wildlife organizations, it is prohibited by ordinance. 

• The overall estimate of the current deer population continues to be higher than desired for a suburban environment. Originally White Buffalo and the Missouri Department of Conservation only planned two nights of distance sampling. Because of the wide disparity between the first and second nights, a third night of sampling was added. Calculating the population estimate from all three nights indicated an estimated population of 38 deer mi/2; while eliminating the data set that was an anomaly (the second night), yields an estimate of 33 deer mi/2.

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