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Home My WebLink About5G 2019 Spring Lake Deer Program Report Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 AGENDA #: 5G PREPARED BY: ANN ORLOFSKY, CITY CLERK PRESENTED BY: LORI OLSON, CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM: ADOPT RESOLUTION 19-104 AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL DEER HUNT WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE GOAL AREA AND OBJECTIVE: Public Safety 5. Address threats to Community Standards Through Code Enforcement. DISCUSSION: Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is to request that the Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing a special bow deer hunt to control the herd in the Spring Lake Regional Park. History The Prior Lake City Code Section 804.500 Special Hunts states, “the discharge of a firearm in the City will be permitted by a person participating in a special hunt, which is following State laws and a permit issued by the Prior Lake City Council. The Prior Lake City Council, on its own resolution, may issue a special hunt permit, or a property owner may make application to the City Council to request a special hunt permit on the property owner’s lands. For over nineteen years, a special hunt has been conducted within Spring Lake Regional Park property. Since the park is now within the City limits and thirty-nine acres of the property are owned by the City, the Council’s approval is being solicited by the County once again for the special hunt. Current Circumstances John Moriarty, representing the Scott County Natural Resources Department, has requested that a special deer bow hunting season be authorized by the City council on lands within Prior Lake. There are two hunt periods, which will be Monday-Wednesday, scheduled for the 2019 hunt season: o October 7-9, 2019 o November 4-6, 2019 The hunt would take place within Spring Lake Regional Park land (see map). As a safety buffer, no shooting is allowed within 25 yards (75 feet) of the property boundaries. The County states that it is common practice for parks to remain open to the public during archery hunts and they anticipate Spring Lake Regional Park to remain fully open for public use during the hunt periods. The County works cooperatively with the Metro Bowhunters resource Base which organizes the archers, ensuring proper training and experience. The hunt is operated according to State hunting statute and City of Prior Lake ordinance. Scott County establishes rules as well as regulating hunt day parking. Scott County posts signs throughout the park at key access points to inform visitors of the hunt and hunt periods. In addition, notification letters are sent to property owners adjacent to the regional park and city land. Security and emergency procedures are established and shared with the hunters addressing what to do if a wounded animal leaves the property, procedures for hunter injury, process for resolving disputes between hunters and who to contact at participating agencies for information. ISSUES: In 2018 an audit found 28 deer within the confines of the park and 8 on adjacent properties and the County estimate numbers for 2019 are at similar levels. The special hunt is well organized and complies both with State statute and City Code as the ordinance requires. Safety precautions are taken for the benefit of the hunters, visitors and adjacent property owners. There have been no incidents associated with this event. Notification and communication procedures are established for all the above as well. In short, the issues which could be raised by this proposal appear to have been addressed. Attached is a program summary which provides additional information. FINANCIAL IMPACT: Except for staff time, there is no cost to Scott County or the City of Prior Lake. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the attached resolution as part of the consent agenda authorizing the special deer bow hunt for the locations and dates set forth therein. 2. Remove this item from the consent agenda for additional discussion. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Alternative #1 Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 RESOLUTION 19-104 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A SPECIAL DEER HUNT FOR THE SPRING LAKE REGIONAL PARK PROPERTY Motion By: Second By: WHEREAS, For over nineteen years, the Scott County Department of Natural Resources has conducted a special hunt on the Spring Lake Regional Park property; and WHEREAS, The purpose of the deer hunt is to control the herd for public safety and health reasons; and WHEREAS, The hunt is conducted in full accordance with State Statute and City Code; and WHEREAS, Section 804 of the Prior Lake City Code provides for special hunts; and WHEREAS, The hunt is proposed for the following dates: ▪ October 7-9 ▪ November 4-6 WHEREAS, Safety and communication procedures have been established and a method for communication is in place. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA as follows: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein. 2. A special bow deer hunt is hereby approved if conducted in compliance with Prior Lake City Code Section 804 and in accordance with the “Scott County Three Rivers Park District Spring Lake Regional Park 2019 White-tailed Deer Archery Hunt Program Summary” (including hunt location map). PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 16th DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2019 VOTE Briggs Thompson Burkart Braid Erickson Aye ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Nay ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Abstain ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Absent ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ______________________________ Lori Olson, Interim City Manager 2019 White-Tailed Deer Archery Hunt Program Summary 1 SCOTT COUNTY/THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT SPRING LAKE REGIONAL PARK 2019 WHITE-TAILED DEER ARCHERY HUNT PROGRAM SUMMARY August 19, 2019 Program Purpose and Goals: The purpose of the Spring Lake Regional Park deer management program is to control the white-tailed deer population of the park in order to sustain the ecological health of the park and to assist in minimizing human-deer conflicts on adjacent properties and road-ways. The program is intended to limit over-browsing, and subsequent degradation of native plant communities and rare species, and to serve as a proactive measure in anticipation of future increased deer-human conflicts, such as collisions with cars and residential landscape damage. In the future as the landscape surrounding the park transitions to a more residential and less agricultural and natural one, the animals are likely to adjust their eating habits to include residential landscaping materials and to seek more of their diet from park vegetation. As is commonly seen in newly developing areas, the change in landscape will likely not be accompanied by a reduction in deer numbers. As the rural landscape is developed, hunting opportunities become restricted, and as a result, there is often a substantial increase in animals. If sufficient habitat, whether in the form of residential lots, agricultural fields or parks is available, deer populations thrive without natural predators or hunting to limit their numbers. Hunt Program Background and Operations: This annual program has been conducted at Spring Lake Regional Park for over 20 years. The program is managed by the Scott County -Three Rivers Park District Partnership through a partnership with the non-profit, volunteer organization, Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB). The hunt is operated in collaboration with the City of Prior Lake and in accordance with state statue. The hunt requires authorization from the local jurisdiction (City of Prior Lake) through a council resolution permitting a ‘special hunt’. Program rules are set by Scott County – Three Rivers Park District with input from other stakeholders, such as the City. The park is not posted as closed to visitors during the hunt. This is common practice among municipalities and park agencies running white-tailed archery-hunt programs. Spring Lake Regional Park remained fully open for public use during the hunt periods last year which occurred after the park was developed with recreational amenities and the park will remain open in 2019. Examples of similar and smaller sized-regional parks in the Metro Area that remain open during archery hunts include Gale Woods Farm, Fish Lake, Eagle Lake, and French Regional Parks. Deer population control is accomplished using expert volunteer archers who are required to be members of MBRB. MBRB organizes the archers, ensuring proper 2019 White-Tailed Deer Archery Hunt Program Summary 2 training and experience and choosing archers through a lottery system. These services are provided free of charge to the Park District. The cost of the program includes Scott County and Three Rivers Park District staff time and miscellaneous materials. Control of the animals occurs during predetermined hunting periods, each falling within the archery hunting season as determined by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In previous years, three to nine animals has been killed per year during the hunt program. An aerial census of white-tailed deer is completed annually during the winter months, when weather conditions allow, for the park and adjacent properties. There wasn’t a survey in 2019 because of weather conditions. The 2018 survey found 28 deer and we estimate numbers for 2019 are at similar levels Hunt Area The hunt will take place within Spring Lake Regional Park (see map). Hunt boundaries are set 25 yards in from adjoining properties. The hunt boundary at Spring Lake Regional Park is based on the location of amenities and anticipated use patterns to limit disruption of the hunt and to minimize the public’s exposure to the hunt program. The City of Prior Lake’s undeveloped park property located adjacent to the northwest corner of the regional park is not included in the hunt boundary this year. The 2012 development of the trail and off-leash area has further diminished the bow-hunting quality of this area that offered marginal success previously. Hunt Dates There are two hunt periods, which will be Monday –Wednesday, scheduled for the 2019 hunt season: • October 7-9 • November 4-6 Security and Emergency Procedures City of Prior Lake Police Department and the County Sheriff’s office are made aware of and asked to consult on the program by County staff. The police department and sheriff’s office are notified of hunt days, hunt boundaries and program contact information. MBRB archers participating in the hunt carry cards identifying them as program participants. They are trained on proper procedures in case of non-emergency security or safety situations and follow normal procedures in case of emergency (911). In the rare event a wounded animal leaves the park property and moves into a residential area the hunt coordinators contact local police (non-emergency phone number) and track the animal in the company of local police or a conservation officer. Public Information and Notification Two weeks prior to and through the duration of the hunt, informational signs are posted throughout the park at key access points to inform visitors about the program. 2019 White-Tailed Deer Archery Hunt Program Summary 3 Metro Bowhunters Resource Base Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB) is a volunteer, non-profit bow hunting organization. The organization formed in 1995 for two primary reasons: to assist municipalities with the control of rapidly increasing urban deer numbers and dispel the general belief that relief from these issues could only occur through trap and kill, rifle sharp-shooting or controlled firearm hunts. MBRB organizes and provides expert volunteer archers to government agencies to assist in managing over-abundant deer populations. In order to hunt with MBRB, archers must fulfill the DNR’s Bowhunter certification class and pass proficiency shooting tests. MBRB has a strict set of rules and has high standards for team work and hunting ethics. Through its partnership with MBRB, Scott County is ensured that only expert archers with the appropriate skills, behavior and safety awareness participate in the hunts. For membership or other information about MBRB Website: http://mbrb.org/mbrb/ Email: info@mbrb.org 2019 White-Tailed Deer Archery Hunt Program Summary 4