Archery season ended with 187 deer culled
City accepting applications for year-round nuisance permits and second season
Archery season has come to an end with 187 deer culled in North Royalton. The police are already gearing up for the next season, accepting hunter applications now. Property owners can also apply through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for a deer damage control permit to cull deer between now and the next season. File photo by JAIME ANTON
NORTH ROYALTON – Archery season has ended with the total number of deer culled at 187 in North Royalton alone.
Police Chief John Elek said the inaugural culling program, OK’d by residents to address the increasing deer population and the threat the animals pose to safety and property, went well with minimal issues.
“There were not that many complaints just minor things, nothing major,” he said.
The breakdown of deer taken by ward is: 85 in Ward 1; 13 in Ward 2; 10 in Ward 3; nine in Ward 4; 27 in Ward 5; and 43 in Ward 6.
Voters in Strongsville, Broadview Heights, Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills all supported this nuisance bow hunting ordinance and 124 deer were culled in those other communities combined. This total excludes Seven Hills, which hadn’t compiled cull numbers as of press time. Seven Hills did, however, receive 18 deer hunting permit applications for the season.
Mayor Bob Stefanik said the six cities will host an internal meeting at the end of the month to discuss how the program went and what can be tweaked to improve it.
One of residents’ biggest concerns about the program was injured deer wandering onto their property. It did occur, but in each instance, the hunters notified the police department for assistance in contacting the property owners for permission to retrieve the deer and everyone allowed the hunters to do so with no issues, Elek said.
This first archery season, which was Sept. 24 to Feb. 5, Royalton police restricted the number of hunting applications it accepted to 65 because there was little time to process them and inspect properties between the time the ordinance passed and the start of the season. Because there is much more time this year, the police aren’t setting a cap and have begun accepting applications now. Every hunter who applied last year must reapply this year to be able to hunt. The cut off is Aug. 15.
“Because last year went so well with very little complaints, I don’t see a problem letting whoever is interested apply. We will be able to handle it,” Elek assured.
And the department is already anticipating a bigger turnout than last season, which could mean a higher deer count this second season.
“We are anticipating more this year. In fact, they are already calling,” Elek said.
Last season’s bag limit was 10 deer per hunter with three anterless deer required first before an antlered deer. The city will attempt to obtain this same deer damage bag limit from the ODNR again this season.
“We don’t want hunters to come in and get that one trophy buck and be done,” Elek explained.
Though bow season lapsed this past Sunday, deer can still be culled year round on tracts of land five acres in size or greater as part of a nuisance permit, or deer damage control permit, property owners can apply for through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The ODNR will visit the property and decide whether or not there is a nuisance.
If so, a permit will be granted that the property owner will then take to the police department, which will visit the hunting site and determine the safest place to position the elevated stand. The ODNR will determine how many deer can be taken case by case. Nuisance permits were not required during bow season.
Just as they did during archery season, interested bow hunters must apply for a permit through the police department. They must have a state hunting license; show proof of certified archery proficiency through Grander Mountain; and have the property owner’s consent to be able to hunt in Royalton. If the property they will hunt on is their own, they do not need a state hunting license but they still require a deer damage control permit through the ODNR.
Stefanik applauded the police department’s efforts in administering the brand new plan and hopes the ODNR looks more into non-lethal approaches.
“The city of North Royalton experienced very few, minor issues throughout this past bow hunting season. While we were pleased with the numbers, we continue to believe that the ODNR should begin to embrace and experiment with non-lethal programs that are taking place in surrounding states,” he said.
Forms and rules are available on the city’s website at northroyalton.org.
Police Chief John Elek said the inaugural culling program, OK’d by residents to address the increasing deer population and the threat the animals pose to safety and property, went well with minimal issues.
“There were not that many complaints just minor things, nothing major,” he said.
The breakdown of deer taken by ward is: 85 in Ward 1; 13 in Ward 2; 10 in Ward 3; nine in Ward 4; 27 in Ward 5; and 43 in Ward 6.
Voters in Strongsville, Broadview Heights, Parma, Parma Heights and Seven Hills all supported this nuisance bow hunting ordinance and 124 deer were culled in those other communities combined. This total excludes Seven Hills, which hadn’t compiled cull numbers as of press time. Seven Hills did, however, receive 18 deer hunting permit applications for the season.
Mayor Bob Stefanik said the six cities will host an internal meeting at the end of the month to discuss how the program went and what can be tweaked to improve it.
One of residents’ biggest concerns about the program was injured deer wandering onto their property. It did occur, but in each instance, the hunters notified the police department for assistance in contacting the property owners for permission to retrieve the deer and everyone allowed the hunters to do so with no issues, Elek said.
This first archery season, which was Sept. 24 to Feb. 5, Royalton police restricted the number of hunting applications it accepted to 65 because there was little time to process them and inspect properties between the time the ordinance passed and the start of the season. Because there is much more time this year, the police aren’t setting a cap and have begun accepting applications now. Every hunter who applied last year must reapply this year to be able to hunt. The cut off is Aug. 15.
“Because last year went so well with very little complaints, I don’t see a problem letting whoever is interested apply. We will be able to handle it,” Elek assured.
And the department is already anticipating a bigger turnout than last season, which could mean a higher deer count this second season.
“We are anticipating more this year. In fact, they are already calling,” Elek said.
Last season’s bag limit was 10 deer per hunter with three anterless deer required first before an antlered deer. The city will attempt to obtain this same deer damage bag limit from the ODNR again this season.
“We don’t want hunters to come in and get that one trophy buck and be done,” Elek explained.
Though bow season lapsed this past Sunday, deer can still be culled year round on tracts of land five acres in size or greater as part of a nuisance permit, or deer damage control permit, property owners can apply for through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The ODNR will visit the property and decide whether or not there is a nuisance.
If so, a permit will be granted that the property owner will then take to the police department, which will visit the hunting site and determine the safest place to position the elevated stand. The ODNR will determine how many deer can be taken case by case. Nuisance permits were not required during bow season.
Just as they did during archery season, interested bow hunters must apply for a permit through the police department. They must have a state hunting license; show proof of certified archery proficiency through Grander Mountain; and have the property owner’s consent to be able to hunt in Royalton. If the property they will hunt on is their own, they do not need a state hunting license but they still require a deer damage control permit through the ODNR.
Stefanik applauded the police department’s efforts in administering the brand new plan and hopes the ODNR looks more into non-lethal approaches.
“The city of North Royalton experienced very few, minor issues throughout this past bow hunting season. While we were pleased with the numbers, we continue to believe that the ODNR should begin to embrace and experiment with non-lethal programs that are taking place in surrounding states,” he said.
Forms and rules are available on the city’s website at northroyalton.org.