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Lethal Portion Of Ann Arbor's Deer Management Plan To Begin This Afternoon

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The City of Ann Arbor will begin deer culls at seventeen parks and nature areas today.  This is the lethal part of the city's 2018 Deer Management program that will help control the deer population. 

Sharpshooters have been hired to kill 250 deer during the month of January.  As a result, parks and nature areas will see daily closures between 3 PM and midnight.  This time around, sharpshooters will also be allowed to kill deer on private property. That is a new measure that concerns Tanya Hilgendorf, president of the Humane Society of Huron Valley

"If you're going to be shooting right next door to somebody, I believe all the surrounding neighbors have a right to know. Everybody has different habits--who's going to be outside doing different things? How would you know when it's safe and when it's not, if they're not telling you when they're shooting near private property?"

But City of Ann Arbor spokesperson Lisa Wondrash says steps have been taken to ensure safety.  

"Any abutting properties--those neighbors--were personally informed from the city. They received notification."

Hilgendorf says she's also concerned about the safety of lost dogs that wonder into the parks in the middle of the night, and the humans that go looking for them. 

Beginning Monday, Jan. 8–Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 3 p.m. to midnight, the below parks will be closed every day (including weekends) for all purposes.

  • Arbor Hills Nature Area.
  • Barton Nature Area (Foster area north of Warrington Drive only).
  • Bird Hills Nature Area.
  • Foxfire West Nature Area.
  • Glazier Hill Nature Area. 
  • Huron Parkway/Braun Nature Areas.
  • Leslie Park Golf Course. 
  • Leslie Woods Nature Area.
  • Narrow Gauge Way Nature Area. 
  • Oakridge Nature Area (east of Huron Parkway only).
  • Oakwoods Nature Area.
  • Olson Park (the dog park and parking lot will remain open).
  • South Pond Nature Area (only the area in the vicinity of NAP office at 3875 E. Huron River Drive).
  • Stapp Nature Area.
  • Sugarbush Park (north of Rumsey Drive only).
  • Traver Creek Nature Area.

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— Jorge Avellan is a reporter for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him javellan@emich.edu

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