Some Maritimers may find deer to be a majestic part of our landscape, but Quispamsis residents are finding them to be a major problem.
There are so many deer roaming the New Brunswick community it has called a public meeting to discuss the issue, and one solution they're considering is a deer cull.
"The deer are multiplying and it's become a serious problem," says resident Jan Wilshaw.
Wilshaw is an avid gardener but she says the deer have been infiltrating her property over the past few years.
She even spent $5,000 installing deer fencing around her property, but she says there is only one real solution to the growing deer population – a general deer cull.
"For some reason we can't think about deer that way," says Wilshaw. "There are people that think of them as cute and cuddly, but they can be quite dangerous. A cull is the only way."
Judy Whalen also installed expensive fencing to keep the deer out of her yard, but she says the animals are more of a nuisance than a safety hazard.
"I recently had an accident with a deer," says Whalen. "I was driving at night and one just ran out into the road…$4,500 in damages."
Wilshaw and Whalen plan to attend the public meeting tomorrow and they hope a solution will be reached. They both recognize that expensive fencing isn't a viable option for everyone, and believe a cull is the best route.
But Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop says that solution, while it may be effective, likely won't go over well in the community.
"There are a number of solutions, none of which are very fun to deal with," says Bishop. "The ultimate one, of course, is to cull the deer. But I would think the minute the mayor of Rothesay says ‘let's shoot all the deer' there will be a public hanging of the mayor in the Commons."
A deer cull is just one of several possible solutions that will be discussed at the public meeting Wednesday night. Town officials, along with a natural resources biologist, will discuss the extent of the problem and gauge what, if any, action should be taken.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Dina Bartolacci
