Right in the centre - Oh deer, what can the matter be?

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Published on Thursday, January 12, 2017

By Ken Waddell

The Neepawa Banner

Whitetail deer have been moving further and further into Neepawa. Many towns have the same issue. Seems life is easier in town.The cute little Bambis have always been on the edge of town. They have always wandered through the outer layers of streets, happily munching their way through the cedar shrubs and nipping off whatever plants suit their palate. With the deep, early snow this year, the deer are hungry and moving further into town. There was even one on the Safeway parking lot last week. They are causing thousands of dollars damage to trees, shrubs and plants.

There has been a report or two about deer being taken down (killed brutally, actually) by coyotes. The south and western parts of Neepawa have long been home to a group of coyotes. You can hear them yipping and howling quite often and right in the town. While following the deer, the coyotes may well decide that small dogs or wandering cats mighty make a good meal too. The worst scenario will be when a coyote decides to attack a small child.

There is a solution that many people will not like, but here goes. We have way too many deer in town. The damage and danger associated with them is simply not worth the risk. We have an active group of bow hunters, we have an abundance of deer and a shortage of meat at the food banks. We have slaughter plants that process wild game. Seems like a logical approach to put it all together.

Now there will be a hue and cry from the animal lovers out there but I expect, if tragedy strikes and a child were to be mauled, that those same people will step up with financial support for the family for medical expenses. Or, worse yet, that they will at least attend the funeral if a child were to be killed by a group of coyotes.

Deer feeding stations may be an option but it’s not that simple. You, or the Town, or whoever, can’t legally set up a feeding station without coordinating it with Manitoba Conservation. Or so I have been told. It would seem like a simple idea to set out a hay bale, away from town, and replenish it once in a while. Keep the deer out of town and the coyotes with them. Simple ideas are tough to get government approval.

In a country like Canada, we have plenty of deer and plenty of deer habitat. It’s not as if the deer are exactly rare or an endangered species. I say harvest them and the sooner the better.

And speaking of non-endangered species, farmers don’t get near enough credit for all they do to preserve wildlife. Many species such as deer, elk, beaver and many birds benefit from the habitat provided, intentionally or otherwise, by our farmers and ranchers. From personal observation over a few decades, I certainly seem to be seeing more wildlife than I used to see. Big grain fields have provided feed for Canada geese and snow geese. There is a herd of elk not far from Neepawa and bald eagles are common now.

I know there are places where wildlife habitat is being downgraded or destroyed but it doesn’t seem to be in rural Manitoba. Well done farmers!