Deer feeding ban could settle debate
By COLLIN GALLANT on July 18, 2023.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com
A ban on feeding deer could eventually reduce not only the population of deer in the city, but also confrontations between both humans and deer as well as neighbours who disagree about feeding them, city council heard on Monday.
A first reading of the urban wildlife management bylaw was presented Monday along with a question and answer session between council members and officials.
Joel Nicholson, a locally based biologist with Alberta Environment, Parks and Protected Places, said tight groupings of deer at feeding locations can spread diseases, like chronic wasting disease.
“We see people who absolutely love deer and spend lots of money to buy them goodies, and people who hate the deer,” said Nicholson.
He said Medicine Hat’s river valley is typical ungulate winter range, and there will always be some level of population, but it should be controlled
“They’re becoming habituated, and not really wild anymore,” said Nicholson. “As deer become less and less fearful of humans it may cause a public safety situation at which point we may euthanize the animal.”
The bylaw was introduced at committee last week, and will see a final debate and potential passage in August.
The bylaw would allow fines of $500 for anyone alleged to be actively attracting deer.
Fines could also be levied for anyone found to be trapping a wild animal ($1,000), or killing, poisoning or keeping a wild animal on their property ($2,500).
Administrators told committee that bylaw officers use common sense when applying bylaws and the processes are typically complaint driven, suggesting front flower beds or fruit trees by themselves wouldn’t lead to enforcement.
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