Game Commission would prefer Mt. Lebanon hunt deer
The Pennsylvania Game Commission will want to see hunting as part of any deer management program in Mt. Lebanon, according to wildlife conservation officer Gary Fujak, who spoke to Mt. Lebanon commissioners at the Nov. 11 meeting.
Fujak said any deer management plan would require some kind of ongoing hunting program for approval. He insisted that it is a Pennsylvania regulation, and that hunting is viewed as the primary means of deer control in Pennsylvania. He added that somehow, this requirement had been overlooked the last time Mt. Lebanon culled deer.
Hunting deer does not require a permit in and of itself, so long as hunters have property owners’ permission and follow other state laws, such as hunting in daylight and being at least 150 yards away from schools and playgrounds. A permit would be required for other deer control options the commission is considering, such as trap-and-euthanize and sterilization.
Fujak also expressed skepticism regarding the efficacy of non-lethal means of controlling Mt. Lebanon’s deer population – particularly sterilization.
“You’ve already got deer populations that are extremely high,” he said. “If you have a goal to reduce deer-vehicle collisions, sterilization and other non-lethal means will not do that for eight to 10 years.”
Commissioner Kelly Fraasch raised questions regarding the oversight of hunters participating in such a program. “Who oversees these people hunting in a public park?” she asked.
In response, Fujak pointed to what he considers an extremely successful hunting program at the 16-acre Pleasant Hills Arboretum.
“In Pleasant Hills, it is the directors of the arboretum,” he replied. “I also do field checks as I would do with other hunters. I don’t micromanage these. It’s worked very well. It’s a benign activity that’s very lethal and effective.”
Fujak indicated it may be difficult to get any kind of permit approved in 2014. A program involving sterilization would take even longer, he said – at least until the end of the fawning period.
“I would recommend you apply for what you used in the past through USDA Wildlife Services,” he said. “Later, submit an application for any other methods you would like to use. I don’t want to quote an exact time frame. To be honest, that’s above my pay grade.”
Municipal manager Steve Feller said staff would prepare an application and deer management plan for review at the next commission meeting, on Nov. 24.