Deer Survey & Discussion about what to do about deer tonight 2/18/2026 at the Whetstone Community Center 6:30 pm

[Debbie Shaw]

If this was posted to the group before this, I must have missed it.

I just heard from a friend that there will be a discussion about what to do about the deer and results of the survey tonight at 6:30.  The attached link has more details.  I did the RSVP and got the response below, which implies you must have a registration/number to get in. I hope I feel well enough to go (not contagious or sick - other stuff) 

Thanks for completing "Community Conversation on Deer Population Management RSVP"

Your receipt number is 121.

From the link below:  On Wednesday, February 18, Council and the Department of Neighborhoods will be hosting a community conversation to explore the different deer management approaches with subject-matter experts. The conversation will be held at the Whetstone Community Center starting at 6:30 p.m. You can RSVP in the form below.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to Jacob Dilley at jadi...@columbus.gov. If you would like to read more on deer management, please visit ODNR's website.

Debbie Shaw

435 Walhalla

[Pari Sabety]

Hi everybody!  

In case you weren't able to make the meeting tonight, here are my notes.  It was basically an education meeting for us to learn about the alternatives available in a deer management program.  Notes below are from the group of 12 of which I was a part, although all presenters did a "round robin" to address all groups:

NOTES ON CITY OF COLUMBUS DEER “CONVERSATION”

February 18, 2026

Whetstone Rec Center

Audience:  About 120 people

City Council Welcome:  Nancy Day Achauer

MC:  Jacob Dilley, NDA’s legislative aide

1. Review of Study findings.  OSU reviewed findings of the study available at this link. Major conclusion was that 80% of the respondents were from Clintonville and had 80% of the issues. Rest of city was "meh" about it all.

2. Purpose of this meeting is to discuss the deer situation in Clintonville. The attendees will be broken into groups to learn about and discuss three possible deer management strategies that the city could undertake.  This is an education session, no conclusions to be reached:

   1. Implementing and enforcing a “no feeding” deer ordnance

   2. Starting a “targeted removal” program

   3. Standing up an “urban archery” program

3. Discussion (in my group)

   1. No Feeding Ordnance (discussion leader:  Jacob Dilly)

      • Would be a misdemeanor to feed deer

      • Would serve as a deterrent to deer

      • Many stories of people feeding deer in neighborhood and dangers of deer entering neighboring homes of those who are feeding from their back doors or porches.  

      • A person observed that deer might be coming to Columbus because of no feeding ordinances adopted in surrounding communities, like UA, Worthington, etc. about 5 years ago, which would coincide with the huge leap in population.

      • 10 of 12 people in my group would want a “no feeding” ordnance

   2. Targeted Removal (aka Sharpshooter or Culling Program) (discussion leader:  ODNR Wildlife Program Lead for Deer Management)

      • In these programs, a highly trained marksman is deployed to remove deer

      • “Bait and shoot” is utilized

      • One lethal shot in head

      • Cost is $130+ per deer for shooting, plus processing costs

      • City would need to pay for shooters, as well as processing

      • Community gets to decide where the meat goes–typically to food banks

      • State uses Ohio Prison Industries to process their deer kills

      • To maintain population, 60-65% of deer must be removed each season.  This means that if we have a herd of 100 deer, even if you remove 60-65 of them this year, the herd will be back up to 100 next year.

      • 7of 12 people in my group would support targeted removal

   3. Urban Archery Program (discussion leader:  ODNR leader for urban deer management programs in Akron/NE Ohio)

      • Archery is preferred because it has less noise and can be easier to target in tight quarters

      • Deer are shot in the heart so bleed-out is quick and sudden (1-2 minutes)

      • Archer could be homeowner, friend or a select group, depending on how the municipality writes the ordnance

      • He advises all groups to use an application process and do background checks to assure that archers are qualified, trained, and do not have criminal records.

      • Cost is much cheaper–archers will typically pay city for the permit to hunt.

      • Archer gets the meat and takes care of all processing.

      • Meat is distributed as the archer decides–could be used personally, for family and friends, or donated, his or her choice

      • Archery programs may not take off in some cities if there are not enough local archers or hunters with an interest.  He counsels cities to start both a culling program and an urban archery program at the same time.

Let me know if you have questions.

[Libby Wetherholt]

Thank you, Pari. Excellent notes!  You heard a couple of things my group wasn’t told. I think we all need to appreciate Council Nember Day-Achauer for taking on this issue because we all know Mayor Ginther has always said there is no deer problem in Columbus. 

I was sorry to see such a poor attendance rate for CAC commissioners. 

Sent from Gmail Mobile Please excuse my typos

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[Julie Robbins]

Pari and Libby

Thanks so much for sharing your excellent notes.  I am adding a couple of additional nuances that came up in our group discussions:  

• Non-lethal methods (birth control, sterilization).  Although these approaches were included in the survey, we learned that they not being considered at this point due to limited efficacy and high cost.  .  
• Archery programs. In contrast to the sharp shooter program, these are not targeted efforts with specific reduction goals.  Instead, they simply open up the area to hunting during a defined period.  The City would have to determine specifics around the open period, vetting of hunters (if any), and processes for homeowners to allow hunting on their property — these decisions would influence the degree to which hunting occurs and its overall impact.  The ODNR rep in our group suggested that some communities have had success with a combination approach — open archery hunting for an initial reduction, followed by targeted removal.  
• Feeding ordinances.  Alone, these are not considered reduction strategies, but are important to deterrence and shifting deer-human interactions.  One of the ODNR reps suggested that these also be part of a combination strategy.  

I second Libby’s comment about Council Member Day-Achauer for her commitment and to the quality of the process so far— I thought the survey and report were excellent and last night's meeting quite informative.  There were several staff people taking notes during the discussion to capture residents’ questions and comments.  

Julie

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[Pari Sabety]

Thanks, Julie--I'm so glad you were able to be in other groups and hear other perspectives.  

I'm startled that you heard that they were *not* considering either archery or targetted removal--since (1) they hosted a conversation to discuss those methods, and (2) those are the only two methods with any hope of managing the population.  

The amazing statistic we heard from the ODNR rep really took me aback...if you had a herd of 100 deer, and used targetted removal on 60-65 of them, your herd would be back up to 100 deer the very next year.  I don't know how long they can ignore this issue, when communities around us have already taken steps to address it.  

I'm wondering if we should do a followup meeting with Nancy Day Achauer and Rob Dorans?

[Julie Robbins]

Hi Pari— 

Sorry for any misunderstanding— 

Just to clarify,  my point was that they are not considering the non lethal methods (birth control, sterilization) that we were asked about in the survey.   My notes align with yours and Libby’s regarding the 3 approaches under consideration (no feeding ordinances, archery, targeted removal). 

Julie

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 20, 2026, at 10:30 AM, Pari Sabety <psa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks, Julie--I'm so glad you were able to be in other groups and hear other perspectives.  

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/walhalla-ravine/bee06dbb-01c1-421e-b629-9784ba254b5bn%40googlegroups.com.

[Pari Sabety]

Whoops!  I read it too fast!!  Thanks for clearing that up!  

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Pari Sabety

3192 Morningside Drive

Columbus OH  43202

Cell: 614 579 8480

[Mary Jo Kilroy]

They should have, could have tried non-lethal methods years ago. I had asked the city to try it way back then. 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/walhalla-ravine/CABJUpG1_5tRotdjrBDYYL7iC%2BtxUNGdp9VLCw77TC%3DYM_Kxj2w%40mail.gmail.com.

[Mary Jo Kilroy]

I had sent them requests, along with links to what Cincinnati was doing in 2019 with a grant from the Humane Society. Also what the town of Hastings on the Hudson was doing under the guidance of the Tufts veterinary schoo.   The deer immunocontraception (PZP vaccine)  resulted in a significantly lower birth rate and a reduced population over several years. Data showed that after treatment, only 15% of female deer produced fawns compared to over 90% previously, and the population fell by approximately 50% over five years. 

Hastings-On-Hudson, NY (.gov) +2

[Cindy Decker]

I would love to see nonlethal controls. Pari, did you mention the mobile vets doing vasectomies? 

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[Pari Sabety]

They poo poo'd sterilizations--not enough impact and too expensive.  My research says that's true.  Sterilization is about $2500 per deer.  Targetted removal is about $300-600 per deer.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/walhalla-ravine/CAKkB%3DZWGNHxgXby-i3dKBJgAzBfQvUUmEisPHe6VhifnML0diA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Cindy Decker]

Birth control has shown good results and can be done with darts. 

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[Carolyn Schiefer]

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 18, 2026, at 9:23 PM, Pari Sabety <psa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everybody!  

City of Columbus Deer 

<apple-touch-

[Mary Jo Kilroy]

If the city had instituted birth control, (as I suggested to them in 2019), experience in other places show that the deer population would reduced by 50% by now. Tufts College of Veterinary Medicine has used birth control to control deer on the East coast, and  Cincinnati did so with a grant from the Humane Society. 

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[Carolyn Schiefer]

Sent from my iPad

On Feb 18, 2026, at 9:23 PM, Pari Sabety <psa...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi everybody!  

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Debbie Shaw

435 Walhalla

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[Mary Jo Kilroy]

This article may be of interest. https://www.humaneworld.org/en/all-animals/deer-contraception-hits-target

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[Mary Jo Kilroy]

It seems to me that deer contraception is just as effective as targetted killings. 

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