Cape Girardeau managed deer hunt affected by weather, poor results

The City of Cape Girardeau's second managed deer hunt produced a significant decrease in harvested deer compared to the previous year.

The two-month, urban archery hunt that ended Dec. 23 resulted in just four deer harvested to last year's 13. Daniel Metzenger, administrator for the 2022 hunt, said the weather heavily impacted this year's numbers, specifically the drought in the first month of the hunt.

"Obviously, small numbers from this year are not going to contribute to helping our deer population thin out within the city," Mayor Stacy Kinder said.

The program must be approved by the Cape Girardeau City Council annually and is run in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Conservation. It was last renewed in February.

The hunt was designed to help prevent overpopulation and the spread of diseases among deer in the area. Neighborhoods and roadways across the north side of Cape Girardeau — especially at night — are dotted with the grazing animals. Around 100 similar hunts exist across the state, according to the city's website.

The 2022 iteration of the hunt included five seven-day hunting periods spread out over nine weeks. Forty hunters were picked via a lottery system to participate in last year's program. Each was given three tags.

The hunt was restricted to five areas in Cape Girardeau: Delaware, Twin Trees and Fountain parks and Cape Rock Lower Circle.

Kinder said there hasn't been discussion about renewal, but council members could look into making changes to the hunt, if it is to continue in Cape Girardeau. She said there would likely be a focus of speaking with the MDC and evaluating what other cities in the state have done, including possibly looking at expanding the hunt to private land as well. That would be a lot more complicated, she said.

Former city finance director and hunt manager Dustin Ziebold predicted in early 2022 that the hunt would eliminate close to 60 deer by 2026.