Deer cull underway in 3rd B.C. town

The District of Invermere has begun to cull its urban deer, after a temporary court injunction brought it to a halt earlier last month.

The community is the third in the Kootenays to euthanize its deer, after a population boom of the the animals began creating problems for residents of urban areas.

Mayor Gerry Taft says the cull is a last resort but most people demanded something be done about the aggressive deer.

"We're going to try and get as many deer as we can and put the traps where we've had the most conflicts with deer and humans."

A contractor will set out netted traps, and as many as 100 animals will be put down over the next two weeks, using a bolt gun — a tool similar to what is used for killing animals in slaughterhouses.

But the methods used in the cull don't sit well with some locals.

Cull methods 'inhumane' says opposition group

Devon Kazakoff and the Invermere Deer Protection Society got a temporary court injunction to stop the cull, but it expired on Feb. 24 and a judge refused to extend the injunction.

"We're not saying to do nothing about it. Just don't use inhumane methods that involve a Clover trap and bolt gun," said Kazakoff.

Mayor Taft says the method used to cull the deer is the only available option.

"There are a lot of other options we'd like to explore futher. The reality is none of them are allowed by the province," said Taft.

Taft says they hope to work with the anti-cull society to work on those other options.

Deer have become a nuisance in the East Kootenay, attacking pets and even people, but opposition is growing to the region's plan to cull up to 225 urban deer by the end of 2012.

Invermere is the third Kootenay community to begin killing urban deer, and will euthanize up to 100. Cranbrook began culling deer in the fall; Kimberley conducted its cull in January.