My first thought on seeing in the headline that a city council is going to tackle the deer problem, was, hmmm, good! Bet a lot of people will be enjoying venison on the grill. But this is Bloomington, after all. As the deer population has increased in the city, there are more conflicts between animals and humans. Residents are said to be worried about "deer-vehicle collisions, tick-borne illnesses and damage to gardens and safety." But heaven forbid they cause the deer any problems:
Sandra Ducey, a Bloomington resident, said at the meeting that she's concerned about future interaction residents might have with deer.
“The thought of a wounded deer is a terrible thing to consider,” she said. “I think we need to learn to live with the deer.”
David Haberman, a Bloomington resident and IU professor, said deer often eat things from his garden, but he doesn't mind because he still has enough food for himself.
“I hope we keep in mind learning to live with the animals in our community,” he said.
The city is creating an 11-member task force because, said one councilman, officials want to hear from experts instead of "jumping to conclusions." Good bet that the deer will be safe until there's so many the only way to deal with it will be a mass kill. That'll please everyone.
