Cranbrook City Council accepted and approved the report recommendation from the Urban Deer Management Advisory sub-committee and will now send it to the Province.

The Urban Deer Cull Strategy report was presented at Council's Monday night meeting and included a description of the cull strategy to be used as well as a list of supplies needed to carry the strategy out.

"It's a very reasonable plan. We've been in consultation and communication with the Ministry of Environment and other mid-level bureaucracy folks and we feel that this is a very reasonable path forward," said Mayor Scott Manjak, after the Council meeting. "We will present it to the government and wait for a response from them."

The cull would focus on problem deer in certain areas of Cranbrook. The strategy recommends using six baited clover traps, similar to the process currently used in Helena, Montana.

The traps are baited with a mixture of corn, oats, barley, molasses and apples and once the deer is in the trap, the gate is tripped and the deer is enclosed in a tubular frame covered with heavy netting. Someone then collapses the trap with the deer inside and dispatches the deer with a bolt gun.

The trap is re-established from its collapsed state, opened and the deer is taken to an enclosed vehicle. The strategy also calls for the processing of the meat from the culled deer. The report notes priority one is to donate processed meat to First Nations, second priority is to donate the meat to the food bank and the third priority is to give the meat to individuals by way of an Authorization to Possess Game Meat for Sustenance certificate.

All the supplies needed for the strategy, including the clover traps, bolt guns, and other items comes to $9,708 and is based on American figures provided by the City of Helena. The report notes costs around contracting staff, vehicles, gas and insurance need to be considered.

By approving the report the City is requesting the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resources Operations commit funding and staff resources to the City of Cranbrook deer cull strategy. Or the City would also accept implementing the cull program through an authorized agent and/or contractor through the ministries with all associated costs being covered solely by those ministries.

The City also recommends the ministries purchase and maintain six clover traps and the associated equipment for the purpose of culling deer in Cranbrook and that those traps be shared with other municipalities in the region.

Manjak said although he doesn't anticipate an answer from the Province in short order, his expectation is a plan will be in place by summer so they can move forward with the cull in November.

"We missed the spring window, we do not want to miss the fall window," he said. "You heard (Urban Deer Management Advisory Committee Chair) Carmen (Purdy) say at the end of the day, the province is statutorily responsible for wildlife and so we followed all the rules, we followed all the processes, we did what was asked of us and now it's time for the province to respond in a manner that indicates they want to work with us to move forward."