Crossbow Plan Scrapped, but Comprehensive Deer Program Coming

The pilot program may have been scrapped, but the debate over culling deer is far from finished.

In comments at the beginning of today's city council meeting, Solon Mayor Susan Drucker asked city council to pull the pilot deer management program from the agenda, citing the "sensitivity of the issue" and a council with limited experience in dealing with the deer-culling issue.

Drucker said her administration would develop a comprehensive deer management program by May 1 for council's consideration.

City council went along with the mayor's request, voting unanimously to pull the pilot program.

It's not clear if the program would have passed council had the vote been taken. Four of six council members would be needed to approve it, and councilmen Ed Kraus, Richard Bell and Robert Pelunis all had major questions with the project.

Ward 7 Councilman William Russo, who has supported the pilot program, said he expects crossbow hunting to be one part of any comprehensive program developed.

"This would have been the tightest-regulated program around," Russo said. 

Now the city won't get a chance to study the program, but Russo said he anticipates it will have a role in the comprehensive plan.

The resumed recently as city officials looked for a way to manage a deer population that has exploded since the city's sharpshooting program was canceled in late 2009.

During a safety committee meeting last week, residents opposed to lethal deer culling argued that the crossbow program wouldn't have been safe. They said council was rushing to approve the program.

Drucker said the program would have been at no cost to the city and used volunteers. The hunting would have taken place in an isolated and controlled area restricted to the public, Drucker said.