City of Kimberley seeks to move more problem deer outside city limits

KIMBERLEY, B.C. – The City of Kimberley has applied to the province for funding to capture as many as 50 deer and move them far from the southeastern B.C. city.

Council made the decision based on a recent count of area deer and an increase in complaints about aggressive does.

Councillor Darryl Oakley says its too late in the winter to consider removing any deer in 2017, so the translocation can’t happen until next January, at the earliest.

He says the latest application to move deer is based on expectations that the number of problem animals will increase, but he also notes that this winter has been harsh and he has received anecdotal reports that deer are not surviving.

Kimberley participated in an urban deer translocation program in 2016, which removed 60 deer from East Kootenay communities.

Translocation and culling have been used to control habituated deer in a number of areas around B.C., because the animals can damage infrastructure and can be aggressive toward pets and people, especially during mating and fawning seasons. (CHBZ)