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Deer Management ProgramMEMORANDUM June 9,2003 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager 2003 - 2004 Deer Management Plan Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrigan is submitting a report on the 2002 - 2003 City of Dubuque Deer Management Program and recommending City Council approval to continue the program for the 2003-2004 hunting season. I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council approval. Midhael C. Van Milligen ~ MCVM/jh Attachment cc: Barry Lindahl, Corporation Counsel Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager Mary Rose Corrigan, RN, Public Health Specialist CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA MEMORANDUM June 11, 2003 TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, Cit~anager FROM: Mary Rose Corrigan,~,'~u~lic~7'~ ,Health Specialist SUBJECT: 2003 - 2004 Deer Management Plan INTRODUCTION This memorandum provides a report of the 2002 - 2003 City of Dubuque deer management program and a staff recommendation regarding the continuation of the program. BACKGROUND The City of Dubuque first began its urban deer management plan with the pilot program at the Sisters of Mount Saint Francis property in 1997. Following that pilot program, the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission recommended a citywide bow and arrow hunt to reduce the deer density within the city limits. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has provided aerial surveys and consultation for the last several years. DISCUSSION On March 6, 2003, the Iowa DNR repeated the aerial survey. The results of that survey, along with the previous years results are attached. Comparisons of actual deer counted show that the population increased this year. Grog Herds, Wildlife Biologist with the Iowa DNR, and Mary Rose Corrigan conducted the aerial survey: Although the numbers have increased, the survey should be viewed as a multi-year trend. Road kill deer picked up by the Operations & Maintenance Department decreased to 18 in 2002 (42 in 2000, 32 in 1999 and 49 in 1998.) This year's hunt must be evaluated while looking at previous years and future projections. If no hunt had been conducted, the population would have increased by approximately 33% annually, as demonstrated by the attached graph: This graph also projects what the population would be next year if the City had not done any deer management the last three years. Potential areas which have not been hunted in the city are being analyzed with hunters and property owners, along with strategies to improve the harvest utilizing these areas. The City of Dubuque spent approximately $2008 for the total program last season, not including staff time. During this year's season, there were 97 permitted bow hunters inside the city limits, and they harvested a total 137 deer. Two hundred eighteen licenses were sold for hunting within the city limits. Although most of the deer were taken south of Highway 20, excellent habitat combined with private refuges make this area more difficult to impact. Of the five urban deer managed bow hunts in Iowa, Dubuque continues to harvest the most deer and have the highest success rate. Greg Harris stated this is partially due to the aggressive buck incentive and few limitations put on the hunt. It is also due to our good group of bow hunters who are dedicated to the program and who generate few citizen complaints. With the assistance of Leisure Services Department staff facilitating the hunting scheduling, record keeping, and communication with participants, this year's hunt went very smoothly. The only change in this year's plan involves the incentives. In the past years, a drawing for 10 any-sex tags was held on November 1. For every adult doe shot, two chances were given, and for every fawn, one chance was entered into the drawing. At the end of the season, ten any.sex tags were drawn for the following season. Consequently, twenty any sex tags were made available. All hunters who shot deer were eligible for the November drawing except for those who drew an any sex tag for the season at the drawing at the end of the previous season. This year's recommended incentive plan is based on input from the hunters, IDNR, the Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission, staff and previous year's hunting data. The first five hunters to harvest 5 adult does by November 1 (defined as any female 1 1/2 years or older) will be eligible to purchase an any sex tag. If these tags are not claimed by November 1, a drawing will be held with 5 additional any sex tags. For all hunters, for every adult doe harvested, two chances will be given, for any fawn, one chance will be given for the drawing. The 5 deer harvested incentive will repeat beginning November 1 until the end of the season. Four any sex tags drawn at the end of the season will be based on the cumulative number for the entire season, provided the hunter did not already earn an any sex tag on November 1. The hunters who eam an any sex tag by harvesting 5 adult does, will be eligible for an additional any sex tag for the following season using the drawing system of one chance for each fawn and two chances for each adult doe. Button bucks harvested will no longer earn a chance in the drawings. (See attached chart) Leisure Services Department Manager Gil Spence and I are recommending continuation of the urban deer management program as was conducted this year, along with the changes in the any sex tag incentive. The Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission's recommendation is attached. RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the City Council review the results of this year's urban deer management program and continue with the attached plan for the 2003-2004 hunting season. CITY COUNCILACTION Approve the attached urban deer management plan. MRC/cj CC: Michael Buelow, Chair, Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission Gil Spence, Leisure Services Department Manager Klm Wadding, Police Chief Dan Brown, Fire Chief Don Vogt, Operations & Maintenance Manager Paul Horsfall, Water Pollution Control Plant Manager Greg Harris, IDNR June 4,2003 Honorable Mayor Terrance M. Duggan & City Council Members City Hall 50 West 13th Street Dubuque IA 52001 Dear Mr. Mayor and City Council Members: The Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission is recommending continuation of the City of Dubuque's Urban Deer Management Plan for the 2003 season. The results of the 2002 aerial survey and the number of deer taken indicate that the area bow hunters harvested a significant number of deer, and have significantly curtailed population growth. However, the overall population continues to exceed levels commonly accepted as excessive for urban areas. RECOMMENDATION The Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission recommends that the City Council continue with its Urban Deer Management Plan, utilizing bow and arrow hunters within the city limits, and authorize City staff to work with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to continue Dubuque's Urban Deer Management Plan this Fall. We also are in favor of the revised incentive plan for any sex tags. We further recommend consideration for development of an ordinance prohibiting feeding of deer in the city. This will not only benefit population control, but will also address concerns with Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and Lyme's Disease. Sincerely, - ~ow, Chair Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission MB/cj 615/03 CITY OF DUBUQUE DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2003-2004 Season Prepared by: Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission & City Health and Leisure Services Departments The City of Dubuque's fifth urban deer management project ended January 10, 2003. The hunt was part of the City's overall urban deer management plan, recommended by the City's Environmental Stewardship Advisory Commission, and approved by the City Council and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Attached is a chart detailing the results of previous hunts and deer surveys. Aerial deer surveys were conducted in each year since 1998, and most recently on March 6, 2003. It can be assumed that each year the population of deer increases by approximately 30% (without any control.) This means that the number of fawns born during the summer increased the pre-hunt fall population. The 2003 aerial survey counted 313 deer, indicating an increase of 47 deer from the 2002 survey. The area south of Highway 20 appears to have the highest densities. The City is requesting a total of 650 deer tags from the IDNR, the same as the previous year. This amount of tags has not sold out in previous years. During the 2002-2003 hunt, forty-four hunters harvested at least one deer, one hunter harvested thirteen deer, one hunter took twelve deer, three hunters harvested eight deer each, two hunters took seven, and one hunter took six deer. Ten any sex tags were given out from the lottery held November 1st. Hunters who had harvested a doe by that time were eligible for one of the any sex tags. An additional ten any sex tags were drawn in March 2003 for the 2003-2004 hunt. The following goals are recommended for the 2003-2004 season. 1) 2) 3) 4) Limit deer population within defined areas of the city of Dubuque below 20 deer per square mile; Provide public education regarding deer and their impact on the environment Encourage eligible property owners to allow qualified deer hunters on their property. Discourage citizens from feeding deer. Recommended Management Plan Recommended is a controlled bow hunt inside the city limits and gun and bow hunting in a special zone around the city with a total of 650 deer license tags available (400 city, 250 zone.) The main goal of the hunt is to reduce the deer herd, not to provide recreational hunting opportunities. · The proposed bow hunt would coincide with the Iowa deer hunting seasons, October 1, 2003 through January 10, 2004 (these dates are set by Iowa Department of Natural Resources.) · All licenses would be issued for antlerless deer only, or for any sex under the incentive program, within the city of Dubuque, City Areas. The City will designate publicly owned lands for hunting and allow hunting on private property of a minimum of three acres with the owner's permission. The public areas for hunting include: Eagle Point Park (47 acres) Bunker Hill (138 acres) Veterans Memorial Park (69 acres) FDR Park (200 acres) Land south of Fremont Avenue bridge following creek and railroad bed (23 acres) Land behind Medical Associates West campus. Hunters are responsible for obtaining permission from private landowners. Adjoining landowners could combine their property to create a 3-acre plot. Hunters would have to maintain a distance of 150 feet from any property line or occupied building, and 75 feet from any unoccupied building, street or trail. All hunters would be required to pass a proficiency test and present a valid International or Bow Hunter Safety Course Certificate. Hunters will also have to be instructed on the special rules and regulations for hunting inside the city limits, including the following: maintaining a minimum distance from residential areas and property lines reporting numbers of shots and/or deer harvested reporting specific areas and times/day of hunt register all deer harvested Incentives. The first five hunters to harvest 5 adult does (defined as any female 1 1/2 years or older) will be eligible to purchase an any sex tag. If these tags are not claimed by November 1, a drawing will be held with 5 additional any sex tags. For all hunters, for every adult doe harvested, two chances will be given, for any fawn, one chance will be given for the drawing. The 5 deer harvested incentive will repeat beginning November 1 until the end of the season. Four any sex tags drawn at the end of the season will be based on the cumulative number for the entire season, provided the hunter did not already earn an any sex tag on November 1. The hunters who earn an any sex tag by harvesting 5 adult does, will be eligible for an additional any sex tag for the following season using the drawing system of one chance for each fawn and two chances for each adult doe. Button bucks harvested will no longer earn a chance in the drawings. Administration of the program. The program would be administered by the City's Health and Leisure Services Department staff with the assistance from IDNR. Evaluation. Deer hunters will be required to check in the deer harvested at the City Fire Headquarters, 9th Street and Central Avenue and report where the deer was shot. It is the intent to keep all public areas open dudng the controlled hunt if winter recreational use is permitted. The City of Dubuque parks are closed during the winter, however, recreational use is allowed. The parks will have special hunting times. Any complaints regarding the hunt will be compiled and handled by the City and IDNR staff. It is also recommended that the City continue to pay half of the cost of the aerial survey in order to evaluate the effectiveness of Urban Deer Management Plan (approximately $1000.) The IDNR is also recommending an additional aedal survey in early April. This will provide additional deer population data, without the influence of surveying dght after the end of the hunting season, when deer tend to have moved to the city for refuge. The additional cost would be $300-$500.