Editorial: Deer hunt a good plan

Council’s decision to allow a controlled bow-hunt within certain parts of the city is a bold one.

But is it the right one??

At first, the thought of hunters cruising the city for deer, bow and arrow in hand, is a frightening one.

The consequences of a missed shot could prove deadly.

But it appears council has thought this one out. And given the increasing number of deer seen bounding down Balmoral Street, it’s probably for the best.

Hunters will have to obtain permission to hunt on private property, and will have to abide by strict provincial regulations regarding the legal killing of deer.

More than 200 deer are killed on city streets each year.

Deer populations, left unchecked, can double in as little as three years, says Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance president

John Kaplanis, an expert on the subject.

The city’s bylaw isn’t all encompassing. Residents won’t have to worry about hunters taking aim at deer in the heart of Thunder?Bay.

The new rules, to come into effect in 2012, only apply to lands south of the Kaministiquia River and west of the Thunder?Bay Expressway.

In addition to written permission, they must be in a stand that’s at least three metres high, and must be further than 75 metres from the road.