Sullinger's STAR story June 11, (Lyme expert disputes her quote in next post.)

Park officials recommend that sharpshooters kill surplus deer in Shawnee Mission Park

By JIM SULLINGER
The Kansas City Star

ROBIN LOZNAK
A white-tailed deer buck stretches his neck from a field near Great Falls, Mont., Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004. The general big game hunting season continues through Nov. 28th in Montana. (AP Photo/Great Falls Tribune, Robin Loznak) ORG XMIT: MTGRE101 ORG XMIT: KOATEGR ORG XMIT: T3M0N2S
Photos | Deer problem in Shawnee Mission Park
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Sharpshooters and archers would be used to kill about half the deer at Shawnee Mission Park under a recommendation made Wednesday by Johnson County park officials.

Park officials want to reduce the park’s deer population to about 50 per square mile. The park covers about 3.5 square miles.

Wildlife experts have estimated that 400 deer roam the 2,230-acre park, which is said to have more deer per square mile than any other place in Kansas.

“Of all the options that have been reviewed, staff considers its proposed strategies to be the most viable for the district’s current and specific management needs,” the recommendation stated.

Nicole Matthews, a People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals spokeswoman, said she was disappointed with the recommendation.

“We certainly encourage nonlethal options for keeping deer or wildlife from eating decorative shrubs or in areas where there are perceived conflicts,” she said, adding that the use of archers was inhumane.

The park staff proposal will be considered at 7 p.m. Wednesday by the Johnson County Park and Recreation District board. It was developed by the park district’s administrative staff following the creation of a wildlife management plan and a public meeting last month in which the board heard recommendations from citizens.

Park officials said other factors influencing their decision were statistics regarding deer-vehicle accidents, complaints from homeowners and commercial businesses about increased plant and landscaping damage, and concerns about diseases associated with ticks carried by deer.

Homeowners in the Parkhurst subdivision just south of the park complained much about the large deer herd.

“I’m glad they’re finally doing something,” said Bob Lillie, vice president of the homes association. “It’s for the good of the park, and the remaining deer will be much healthier. It’s unfortunate they let it get to this point.”

He said he hoped the remaining deer would have enough food to stay in the park and out of nearby neighborhoods.

Kathy White, spokeswoman for the Lyme Association of Greater Kansas City, said a much smaller deer population would reduce significantly the number of ticks and the risk of people getting Lyme disease.

“I’m sad and happy,” she said. “I hate killing the deer, but we have to do it. I know of children who missed several years of school because of tick bites.”

Park officials said a “significant herd reduction” was required. The effort would be undertaken in mid- to late fall in two phases — sharpshooters in the first phase and bow hunters in the second. Sharpshooters would be park and area police, but they would undergo training by experts first. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks does not allow commercial sharpshooters.

Another survey of the deer population would be done after the sharpshooters finished their work.

If the population was still too high, then the second phase using specially certified bow hunters would follow. Shooting would be limited to controlled, baited sites that would lure the deer to the shooters.

Park officials said the culling could be done a couple of mornings each week for several weeks.

The park would be closed on those mornings and then reopened later in the day.

Under the plan, the meat would be processed and distributed to the homeless and needy.

To keep the herd from growing too large in the future, the recommendation suggested the use of nonlethal methods ranging from sterilization to deer repellants.

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To reach Jim Sullinger, call 816-234-7701 or send e-mail to jsullinger@kcstar.com.