Buffalo Wyoming Public Notices

DEER MANAGEMENT POLICY
Aug 20, 2008
Author: City Council

DEER MANAGEMENT POLICY
CITY OF BUFFALO

Overview:

A healthy wild mule deer, white tail deer and antelope population is important to the people of Buffalo. Wildlife viewing is an esthetic value that will be preserved. However, high deer numbers and the habits of some individual animals can create a situation that threatens human safety, damages property and is not conducive to the long-term health of the deer population or its habitat.

History:

A number of citizens have complained that the risk to human safety and the level of property damage have grown to unacceptable levels. This concern led to the forming of this Deer Management policy with the help of the local Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

The Policy’s PURPOSE and SCOPE are:

To reduce the negative impacts to people caused by the deer in and near the city.

Note: While the management of deer that inhabit Buffalo occurs on a larger scale, the restrictions detailed in the POLICY are limited to within the boundaries of the City of Buffalo.

The specific GOALS are:

§ To eliminate individual deer that threaten human safety;
§ To reduce damage to property by lowering deer numbers in the city.

Deer Populations:

The deer comprise two distinct populations. One population is still relatively wild and wary of human contact. These wild deer generally occupy periphery areas but pass through, and occasionally use, residential, business or industrial areas. These deer do not cause as many problems but, over time, contribute to the other population comprising of deer that live in the city year round.

Proposed ACTIONS to achieve goals;

A. Public hunting will be used as the management tool of choice to control the size of both populations and to keep individual animals wary of people, which will discourage them from becoming city deer.

B. The people of Buffalo must refrain from artificial feeding of deer as a way to encourage them to stay near, or return to the city. In addition, the diet is unhealthy and the practice induces the deer to adopt habits that put them in conflict with humans and ultimately means these deer must be destroyed. Wild and wary deer will stay out of trouble but will still be visible to those who enjoy seeing them as they pass through areas occupied by people.

Note 1: Our tradition and state law recognizes the importance of Wyoming’s public wildlife legacy. Minor or occasional property damage caused by wild life is a burden that Wyoming residents have chosen to accept. This also is in accord with the expressed wishes of the residents of Buffalo.

Note 2: Citizens who find a dead deer in town should call the Buffalo Police Department who may inspect it and will authorize its removal to the local county landfill.

Note 3: Deer that have been killed with a vehicle will be removed to the county landfill by either the City Police or Sanitation Department

Management Process:

Using the following strategies will facilitate public hunting of deer within the city limits:

1. Hunting will be in accordance with all Wyoming Game and Fish laws and regulations.
2. Hunting will be managed with safety as a primary consideration.

3. Hunting will be restricted solely to the use of archery equipment as defined by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission Big Game Regulations.

4. Only open space approved by the City of Buffalo may allow hunting on their properties. If a property owner wishes to be included in the program they must present their case to the Buffalo Police Department and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department for determination.

5. Hunters will be required to bag, remove and properly dispose of the deer viscera away from the area where the animal was killed.

6. Hunters are responsible for contacting the landowner and gaining written permission to hunt on private property.

7. Hunters will be responsible to identify the proper boundaries for the zone that they are hunting and stay with in those confines or face the chance of being charged with trespassing.

8. If an animal does cross the boundary line before expiring the hunter must gain that landowner’s permission to retrieve the animal.

9. Permanent tree-stands are not allowed.

10. Hunting shall end in Zone A (City Golf Course) by 8 A.M. daily.

Monitoring and Responsibilities:

The City of Buffalo and Game and Fish will jointly monitor the implementation and effectiveness of this Action Plan.
Wyoming Game and Fish will continue ongoing efforts to gather hunter harvest data and population trend survey data to determine deer population levels within Buffalo and surrounding areas.

Approved property owners will manage the hunting on their respective properties.

Program Longevity:
Consensus of the City of Buffalo and approval of Wyoming Game and Fish Department may modify this POLICY in writing at anytime.

This POLICY is effective upon authorization from Wyoming Game and Fish Dept. and the City of Buffalo, and it will remain in effect until modified or terminated by the City of Buffalo.
Public Safety:

Occasionally wildlife exhibits abnormal behavior. In cases where deer become aggressive and threaten human safety, it is recommended that residents of Buffalo contact the Wyoming Game and Fish Department or the Buffalo Police Department..