Cape Girardeau urban deer hunting timeline

The following is a timeline of discussions and developments for urban deer hunting in the city of Cape Girardeau. A final vote on allowing the bowhunting of deer is set for July 2.

January 2008

Representatives of the Missouri Department of Conservation began talking to Cape Girardeau city officials about the possibility of allowing bowhunting within the city limits. A Feb. 25, 2008, story quoted some deer statistics: "Collisions with vehicles and damage to crops, gardens and landscaping are the primary reasons communities want to keep deer from running wild. In 2005 in Missouri, four people were killed in accidents involving deer, 289 injury accidents involving deer were recorded and another 3,213 accidents involving deer resulted in property damage, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol statistics. Cape Girardeau County is home to an estimated 9,300 deer. The number living in the city limits is unknown, but last year in Cape Girardeau deer were involved in 30 of the 1,900 vehicular accidents in the city, a number that does not include accidents on private property."

Sept. 6, 2011

At a city council study session, council member John Voss asked that the city revisit creating a highly restricted program that would allow bow-and-arrow hunting for does during the regular deer season. Voss had presented a "similar proposal in the past, but it didn't gain traction." The council directed city staff to look into the matter further. City manager Scott Meyer, who had done some preliminary research, said that, in 2010, the city received 76 deer-related calls, including 47 to pick up dead deer and 38 for car collisions. Voss noted he had received constituent complaints from some living on Sylvan Lane.

Oct. 17, 2011

The city council called for creation of an ad hoc committee to study the adoption of an urban deer hunting program, after hearing a presentation by representatives of the Missouri Department of Conservation. According to Dee Dee Dockins, the department's outdoor skills specialist, arrows generally travel less than 20 yards and toward the ground because hunters generally use tree stands. She said less than 1 percent per 100,000 participants are hurt in some kind of bow hunting accidents, and most of those were hunters falling out of tree stands.

Nov. 28, 2011

A seven-person committee charged with studying how best to manage the city's growing deer population was named: Dru Reeves, Jarrett, Seiler, Mel Dockins, Bard Womack, Judy Bullock Graetz, James Whitnel and Weakley. The city's staff liaison was assistant police chief Roger Fields.

Dec. 6, 2011

The deer committee held its first meeting. It emphasized plans to educate itself. Members also individually shared their thoughts on allowing urban hunting.

Jan. 10, 2012

Department of Conservation officials met with the deer committee for nearly two hours, discussing a litany of lethal and nonlethal methods of controlling the deer population.

Jan. 29, 2012

A group opposing urban deer hunting began to organize, calling itself Cape Friends of Wildlife. Group organizer was Stephen Stigers, a local physician. He emphasized there are no reliable estimates on how many deer reside in the city limits. He further said nonlethal measures, such as deterrents, relocations or contraception should be considered to reduce the population.

Feb. 6, 2012

Opponents of urban deer hunting crowded into a meeting of the deer management committee, but weren't given a chance to speak. Staff liaison to the committee, assistant police chief Roger Fields, told the crowd that the meeting wasn't the time for debate and that the public would be given that opportunity during a public hearing to be held in February or March. For the benefit of the crowd, committee members summarized the research they had done about the problems deer were causing in the city and possible control methods. Some committee members had told Fields they felt threatened and Jarrett Seiler, a veterinarian, resigned from the committee, citing concerns about how continuing in the role could hurt his business.

Feb. 14, 2012

It was announced that a public forum to air views on urban deer hunting would be held Feb. 28 at the Osage Centre.

Two members of the deer committee have resigned: Jarrett Seiler, a veterinarian, and Beverly Weakley. The latter said she felt the committee would recommend killing deer, which she opposed. She said several of the men on the committee are bow hunters and they endorsed urban hunting.

Feb. 28, 2012

Roughly 30 people spoke at the public forum at the Osage Centre. They were about evenly divided in their views on urban deer hunting.

March 6, 2012

The Deer Management Committee voted 4-1 in favor of allowing bow hunting in the city limits to control the deer population. Voting for the issue were Mel Dockins, Judy Graetz, Dru Reeves and Bard Womack. Voting against it was James Whitnel, who maintained the committee hadn't gathered enough material to make an informed decision.

The committee discussed the issue for more than an hour before taking the vote. It was noted that most of the public input collected from the city -- through a public forum and through letters and emails -- came from opponents.

March 14, 2012

Mayor Harry Rediger told opponents the city council hadn't made a decision about urban hunting. He attended the Cape Friends of Wildlife meeting to listen, but interjected when someone said that the "writing is on the wall."

March 19, 2012

The city council agreed to support a no-feed ordinance, more signs in heavy deer-crossing areas and making certain exceptions to fencing restrictions as ways to reduce the deer population. However, no agreement was made on urban hunting. The council also agreed a deer count needed to be done this fall.

March 28, 2012

Councilman Loretta Schneider offered a plan to trap deer, euthanize them and harvest their meat to feed the hungry.

April 16, 2012

The city council gave first-round approval to a law that bans feeding deer in the city limits, but only after tweaking the proposal to remove minerals, salts and certain deer-attracting scents from the list and adding language that would make the ban not apply to agriculturally zoned areas.

May 7, 2012

The city council gave final approval to an ordinance that bans feeding whitetail deer within the city limits. Violators faced a maximum punishment up to $500 and no more than 90 days in jail. Law passed unanimously on a 5-0 vote.

May 21, 2012

In a widely expected move, the Cape Girardeau City Council directed city staff to draft an ordinance to implement urban deer hunting, not euthanizing the animals and trapping them. In support of the issue were Mayor Harry Rediger, councilmen John Voss, Meg Davis Proffer and Trent Summers. Opposed was Loretta Schneider. Absent were Mark Lanzotti and Kathy Swan.

June 4, 2012

As the move to an urban deer hunt continued, Stephen Stigers, leader of Cape Friends of Wildlife, said he was considering collecting signatures on a petition to place the issue on the ballot. Stigers believed the majority of Girardeans opposed urban hunting.

June 4, 2012

Mayor Harry Rediger moved to the undecided column in regard to urban deer hunting. Once a supporter, Rediger said he was unsure how he would vote when a final ordinance came before the city council. He called the ordinance cumbersome and worried administrating the program could take too much time from city staff.

June 18, 2012

After an hour of testimony, the city council voted to approve urban deer hunting in the city limits beginning this fall. Voting for the measure were John Voss, Meg Davis Proffer, Mark Lanzotti and Trent Summers. Voting against it were Mayor Harry Rediger, Loretta Schneider and Kathy Swan. Final vote on the ordinance will be July 2. The law would require participants in the hunt to complete a hunter safety course through the Missouri Department of Conservation, hold an archery permit and complete an application for a city hunting permit. No hunting would be allowed within 150 yards of any church, school or playground, and hunters would be required to ensure that arrows don't land within 75 feet of any front yard property line or within 50 feet of any street or public right of way. The ordinance set the minimum property size for hunting at one acre, although adjacent landowners would be free to combine parcels.