April 4, 2017 – West Bend, WI – There will be a public-input session next month as the West Bend Park and Rec Department follows up on a request to help manage deer in the city.
During a meeting in November 2016 the Deer Management Assistant Program reviewed whether to issue special permits to allow bow hunting to trim the deer herd in local parks.
According to Park and Rec director Craig Hoeppner the Park and Rec staff did an old-fashioned deer drive and the count was 28 deer at Lac Lawrann, Ridge Run Park had 41 deer, Regner had 9 and Silverbrook Parkway had 18.
In March, Lac Lawrann voted unanimously that it be a test and sample site for a controlled hunt.
Going forward the Park and Rec Commission will work with the DNR this month on a proposal and then in May there would be a public input session.
Hoeppner said the Park and Rec Department would then bring a proposal back to Common Council to determine how to move forward.
a controlled hunt in city parks would make it more dangerous for walkers who use the parks. unless they do the hunt at night when people would not be in the parks.