Rural Sask. towns want deer cull, saying animals are peeping in windows

Canadian Press

November 13, 2004

SASKATOON (CP) - Leaders of rural Saskatchewan communities are calling for an expanded deer hunt, claiming the animals are so numerous that they are being overrun by peeping deer.

''They walk right up and look into our living room windows,'' a representative from the hamlet of Benson, southeast of Regina, told about 900 delegates at the midterm convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities in Saskatoon.

''We have to keep our dogs tied up because the conservation officer can have it killed if it chases deer,'' the delegate said.

Delegates said the population of whitetail deer is out of control and the animals are destroying property and invading privacy. They passed a resolution calling on the province to address the situation.

Their suggestions for fixing the problem include changing regulations to encourage more deer hunting, such as as extending the season and lowering the cost of tags. They also called for accurate game surveys so conservation officers can better gauge the population.

''The rural communities of Saskatchewan have witnessed the destruction of their trees, shrubs, haystacks, etc.,'' the resolution stated. ``The population of whitetail deer .. is out of control.''

Property owners are prohibited from placing feed to divert deer to other areas because of laws that are meant to prevent the spread of chronic wasting disease.

Other resolutions at the conference called for more rigid legislation against stray animals, access to liquid strychnine for better gopher control, and requested more power lines to be buried to prevent accidents where farm machinery contacts power lines.

The convention wrapped up on Wednesday.