Worthington deer in bullseye as task force mulls relief; other communities are watching

Most of the 100 or so residents at Worthington's first-ever Deer Task Force public education meeting have a love-hate relationship with the whitetail, doe-eyed creatures.

Many have barriers around their prized gardens only to be foiled by deer ingenuity and persistence. Others have had near misses while driving or on bikes. One woman was even attacked and hospitalized this spring by one.

Still others insist on feeding them, coddling them and getting as close as they can.

Wednesday's meeting at the McConnell Arts Center was the first in a series of educational sessions targeting the suburban pests and how polarizing they can be. Why are deer so rampant? What can be done to thin their ranks?

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"You don't want opinion. You don't want emotion. You want science, a science-based decision," Jon Cepek, wildlife ecologist for Cleveland Metroparks, told the audience at the outset. But emotion dominated the 90-minute event.

Frustration at lost landscaping and decimated gardens dominated the complaints.

"My backyard is a buffet," said one man.

"I had to build an 8-foot-tall fence," said a woman.

From prey to privilege, deer plundering is man-made

Cepek provided historical context, from Ohio's statehood in 1803 when 80% of the state was forest, through the pioneer days when logging and farming depleted forests and wildlife became scarce. By 1909 deer were nearly wiped out, Cepek said, due to loss of habitat and unrestricted hunting. Early zoos even had deer exhibits, illustrating their scarcity.

During the Great Depression, following conservation efforts, deer returned. Woodland herds today are pervasive, with just a third of the state considered forest. And with development and suburban growth, safe-quiet backyards on the edge of woodlands are perfect deer habitat. With plentiful water from rivers or retention ponds, diverse plant species and plenty of natural shelter, deer are fully integrated in our lives.

Overlapping domains and unnatural bonds

It's hard not to smile when you confront deer in your yard. Whether it's a child tossing an apple or adults fawning over a fawn, the temptation is natural.

"It makes us feel good. We think they can't survive," without humans, Cepek said. But, he warns, "It's not right for humans and wildlife to be so close."

Deer, typically prey animals, build up a tolerance for humans and an unnatural comfort. They become bolder as the threats against them diminish.

This man-beast intimacy has drawbacks and danger — not just to our hostas, daylilies and shrubs.

Since 2018, there have been 104,328 deer-related vehicle crashes, according to the State Highway Patrol, 95% of which caused property damage, and 34 deaths. The numbers are likely higher because not all crashes are reported.

And mating, or rutting season, typically in fall, along with spring fawning season, have their own danger.

In September, a suspected deer poacher alarmed residents in Worthington's Colonial Hills neighborhood, leaving a trail of blood and an arrow outside homes before the animal was driven away. No suspects were found, authorities said.

And this spring, a woman was attacked.

"She was pummeled to the ground. And she ended up in the hospital. And it really was kind of scary," said one attendee at Wednesday's task force meeting, explaining the deer's vicious hoof kicks. His wife, a veterinarian, knew to keep her distance from wild animals, especially when walking the family dog, making the attack so unusual.

"Now it's been elevated to a public safety issue in our minds," he said of the attack just south of Worthington's downtown.

Task force action requires patience, city says

Worthington enacted a no-feeding law two years ago to criminally prosecute those of who intentionally feed deer.

Proof of the deer eating isn't required, only that food was intentionally provided. Bird feeders, gardens and other naturally grown landscaping or compost piles are not considered a violation. Laying out nuts, berries, seeds or produce for deer would be.

In two years, the city's code enforcement officer has investigated 15 complaints of deer feeding, City Manager Robyn Stewart said. Some were unfounded, while others were resolved or pending resolution. First-time offenders face a minor misdemeanor.

"Feeding of deer often takes place in areas not easily viewed from the public right of way, so it can be difficult for city officials to independently observe the feeding," Stewart said in an email to The Dispatch.

Jim Rush, whose Worthington home is surrounded by hundreds of plant species, said quicker action is needed.

"It's taken us eight months before we've had our first speaker," he said of the task force formation. "I think we have to speed this process up."

As a member of the Greater Columbus Hosta Society, he's hoping relief comes before the national convention here in two years and his inclusion in a homes tour. Deer have snipped many of his plants to the stem, even though he's erected fencing and deterrents.

He's seriously considering a paint gun. "It's a plan, to color them a little bit," Rush said with a wry smile.

Cepek said he understands the frustration, but that proper education is critical before any city takes remediation steps.

As for Worthington, "I think they've done a lot compared to other cities," he said.

Stewart told The Dispatch that acting too swiftly has drawbacks.

"You polarize the community and people start yelling at each other. We were trying to avoid that," she said.

The next meeting, on Aug. 29, will focus on management options and choosing the right path.

Weighing a community's appetite for culling against its tolerance of a pest

Task Force member Gary Comer, a wildlife management supervisor for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said he hears more concerns about deer from Clintonville residents than elsewhere in Greater Columbus.

"The deer just walk around like cattle," he said. Residents there are listening closely to what Worthington decides.

Officials in New Albany already use sharpshooters and Gahanna previously allowed bow hunting to cull herds.

Sharpshooters have been used effectively in Franklin County Metro Parks, where about 350 deer annually are humanely killed and processed for meat given to food banks.

"Honestly, I don't know that it's enough," Comer said of the culling.

Even small kills send a message to urban deer "that puts the fear back in them, 'Hey we've got people trying to hunt us,'" which causes them to migrate toward less populated areas, Comer said.

The idea of carnage can be unpleasant to residents and costly to taxpayers, Comer said.

Skinning and processing a single deer typically cost up to $150 a head. But paying shooters, baiting deer and deploying guns and equipment can exceed $400 per deer, Comer said.

"Worthington would have to pay for all of that, if they (decide to) go there," he said.

A survey conducted this spring indicated that slightly more Worthington residents strongly favor lethal culling methods (either by guns or archery) than those strongly opposed.

"On the whole there are about 3,800 (respondent) votes in favor of some lethal means compared to about 2,500 votes opposed to lethal means, with archery being more acceptable to more people than firearms," said Gregory Hitzhusen, a task force member, who helped conduct the survey.

Trapping and releasing, sterilization, frightening devices such as artificial predators resembling wolves and other repellants are other options.

"No single management tool will solve all concerns with deer overabundance," according to Worthington's website. "Education will be an essential component to set reasonable expectations within the community."

dnarciso@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio hunting: Deer damage, killing plans spark resident disputes