As the population of deer in Rockville grows, city officials have been discussing how to control the population for several years.
The overpopulation of deer can lead to more of them being hit by cars and a wider spread of diseases carried by ticks that deer can pass to humans. White-tailed deer can also harm the environment.
In December 2019, the council approved drafting a deer culling program for white-tailed deer.
Rockville officials have discussed management of the city’s deer population since 1995. The 2020 program would be the first culling program for the deer.
On Monday, the council was split in its decision of how the program would be operated.
The initial plan was to operate the program for three nine-day periods starting in the fall in RedGate Park.
Because of the increased use of RedGate by people trying to be outdoors during the health crisis, city staff members recommended having an alternate location, John Hayes Memorial Forest Park at the Civic Center complex.
The dates chosen for the program in September, November and December coincide with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources archery season. A safety zone — a 50-yard buffer around the entire property — would be marked in the field for no hunting.
Nonprofit deer management organizations could bid to participate in the program.
According to city officials, the organization would be selected based on years of experience, harvest records (deer killed successfully), qualifications of individual participants, and the nonprofit’s proposal.
Participants would have to consume any harvested deer or donate them to Farmers Feeding the Hungry.
The council took three votes on the program. The location change of the program from RedGate to John Hayes passed 3-2. Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and Council Members Beryl Feinberg and Mark Pierzchala were in favor. Council Members David Myles and Monique Ashton were opposed.
Ashton voted against the motion because she wanted later dates to replace those in September. More people are using the parks to exercise and walk during the pandemic, so the council should consider whether to close the park for nine days when people will still want to use the parks, she said.
“I think that we should consider COVID-19 in this situation and make sure that we are providing a safe place for our residents, as well,” she said. “I don’t think it’s changing the entire program, but thinking about when people are going to be out, especially in warmer weather and on weekends.”
Myles said that while serving on a Navy base, he witnessed several deer-culling hunts that only ended up with about five harvested deer. The city should explore a different way of handling the population, he said.
“I don’t think this is it,” he said, adding that the method should be reproducible and efficacious.
Archery won’t make a “significant dent” in the deer population, he said.
“Hopefully, at some point in the future, we can discuss other ways to manage the deer problem,” he said.
Pierzchala said there is an “enormous amount” of park space in the city for people to enjoy other than John Hayes.
He agreed with Myles that bow hunting was probably not the best answer, but the city has delayed finding a solution.
“As far as other methods, we’ve been around that one for 10 years at least and there’s not much progress — not much at all,” he said.
Deer create a health hazard for residents, he said.
A second vote on adding a section to the city code regarding the discharge of bows and requirement for bow hunters to report the failure of recovering a wounded deer to city police was approved unanimously.
A third vote was held on waiving the layover period — allowing the council to immediately move to a final vote to amend the city code to establish the program. It failed.
City staff members were directed by the council to consider alternative dates for the program in September.
Briana Adhikusuma can be reached at briana.adhikusuma@moco360.media.