Livingston Continues Deer Cull For 2015

For the sixth year, Livingston will be conducting a deer hunt on township-owned properties in an effort to reduce and manage the local animal population.

This year’s deer cull kicked off on Saturday and will run until Feb. 20, 2016.

According to the Livingston Deer Management Program, the hunt is a “necessary program for protecting the environment and ensuring that other wildlife has an opportunity to thrive.”

“Those participating in the program are licensed by the state and are experienced bow hunters who have submitted to a full background investigation by the police department, and who have successfully passed a proficiency assessment,” township officials wrote.

“Hunting permits are required and hunters are only allowed to shoot with bows from tree stands downward towards the ground. Individual hunters are assigned designated areas and crossbows are not permitted in the program. Hunters are required to login and logout with the Police Department and to comply with all state hunting season laws enforced by the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife.

“Designated hunting areas [in 2012] included the East Orange Water Reserve, and Township properties at Laurel Hills Park, Northland Park and Pool, East Hills Park, Eisenhower Pkwy, and the parcel of Township land adjacent to St. Barnabas, 204 Hillside Ave, and Dougal Ave.”

In addition, venison from the hunt is donated to local food banks.

• See related article: Livingston’s Deer Management Program in Full Swing
• See related article: Deer Hunt May Expand in Livingston

CULL CONTROVERSY

After the LPD announced the annual deer cull on their Facebook page, a flurry of commenters weighed in online.

Some decried the hunt and said it raised animal rights issues.

“Please explain why innocent deer that my family (kids) love to watch and observe are being killed?” asked one commenter. “Is it because our plants are under attack? This isn’t right!”

“This is disgusting… We got this letter last year and it bought tears to my eyes,” wrote another resident. “Who voted for this? God forbid we have wildlife in our town.”

“I think the town needs to allow a re-vote on this because 100 percent of the people I know are against this,” asserted another commenter.

However, many residents supported the cull as an effective method of population control.

“Culling deer is a responsible act to control herd size...if it wasn’t done the deer would overpopulate and starve to death and there would be a lot more getting hit by cars,” a commenter wrote. “Better to have licensed bow hunters take some and feed their families than see them dead on the streets.”

“Several areas around the state do this,” agreed another resident. “It is a controlled environment... they operate safely.”

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