Southampton Village Officials Reopen Discussion On Thinning The Deer Herd

Over the past few years, the construction of “McMansions” and the increase in density of homes in Southampton Village have pushed deer onto the streets and into backyards, where they feast on flowers and shrubbery.

In an effort to stop deer from going into backyards, village officials say they are considering allowing homeowners to install 8-foot-tall fencing around their homes, as long as the fences are camouflaged by hedges. But some residents don’t think even the taller fencing will be enough to deter the growing number of deer—and have suggested a cull of the animals.

“We all know what needs to be done,” Southampton Village resident Eric Winkler told Village Board members at a meeting last week. “The population needs to be reduced, and we have to put a moratorium on putting up large properties in the backcountry.

“I believe [the population] is growing, because, until five years ago, there were no deer in the core of the village, and now we see them there on a daily basis,” he added.

Village Trustee Nancy McGann concurred, saying she thinks the issue has been talked about for too long, and all the board does is “kick the can down the road.”

The last time village officials considered thinning the deer population was in 2009, when then-Mayor Mark Epley proposed allowing a limited archery hunt within the village borders. The proposal was met with resistance and eventually abandoned.

Village law prohibits discharging a weapon, both bows and guns, anywhere within 500 feet of a building or roadway.

“We met with all sorts of different people on how we were going to do this,” Ms. McGann said. “We talked about getting people to sign off, because you needed 5 acres to have a shoot. None of it was done. Now … I personally think it’s out of control.”

When discussions were held in the past, village officials were hesitant to allow general hunting in the municipality, mainly because of safety concerns.

“I think we have to really, as a board, get serious about this and have some sort of plan to thin the herd,” Ms. McGann added.

Village Trustee Kimberly Allan said she was not involved in conversations about thinning the deer herds years ago, but she hears about the issue often.

One mother, Ms. Allan said, came up to her and said she gets concerned at night when her daughter drives home from work, because there are so many deer on the road.

“Her daughter basically dodges deer on the way home at night,” said Ms. Allan, adding that increasing the height of fencing is only going to direct deer to the streets and make the situation worse.

Mayor Michael Irving said a culling could be done, especially with the way bow-and-arrow technology has advanced over the past few years.

“In New York State, with special exception, you can use crossbows, which are really even a better, more accurate way, to cull a herd,” Mr. Irving said. “I’ve always been a proponent, if you put the individual up in a higher position, so they are shooting down.”

But a culling requires approval from State Department of Environmental Conservation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife, which he said could be an issue.

No decision was made about culling at the meeting, and a public hearing on increasing the allowable height of deer fencing was adjourned until the board’s next meeting on July 12 at 6 p.m.