The Truro Deer Management Working Group is planning for a second Controlled Managed Hunt as they continue their work as outlined in the Town's Deer Management Strategy. At this time, planning is underway and a Controlled Managed Hunt will take place later in November.
The first Controlled Managed Hunt took place in January/February 2022, where a total of 14 deer were harvested.
The second hunt will build on best practices developed throughout the first year of the program. The first year was developed as a pilot year to ensure the hunt could be carried out successfully, with strict control measures and with public safety the paramount consideration. With the first year's success, the Town is working on expanding the hunt program to include additional sites and hunters. In this year's program, 20 deer are permitted to be harvested in the initial stage, with the opportunity to renew the permit depending on timing and after an evaluation of the initial stage.
"We harvested 14 deer in the first year of the program," stated Mayor Bill Mills, Town of Truro. "This conservative number allowed the program to develop best practices and build efficiencies for future years. Council and I are very happy with the results, as public safety was paramount to the overall program. When planning for the second year, we've been able to strengthen our partnerships with the Province, Millbrook First Nation, Feed Nova Scotia, and Dalhousie University."
Similar to the first year, the Working Group is partnering with Feed Nova Scotia to have all meat harvested through this program donated to food banks throughout Nova Scotia.
"There's nothing more Nova Scotian than helping your neighbour when times are tough, and the Controlled Managed Hunt in Truro has certainly done that," said Karen Theriault, Director of Development and Communications at Feed Nova Scotia. "The deer meat that Feed Nova Scotia received through this program (in the first year) represented 1,890 servings of protein. That means critical nourishment for thousands of Nova Scotians who count on us and our network of food banks for support."
The Town's Deer Management Working Group operates the program on as little waste as possible. As part of the program, all hides are donated to Millbrook First Nation. Other parts of the animal are used for Provincial and National research purposes.
For the second year of the program, the Town has expanded its partnership with Millbrook First Nation. Millbrook will be managing one of the hunt sites and conducting land-based learning at this site for community youth and other members to help preserve knowledge related to the ethical harvesting and processing of deer. Programs will focus on demonstrating how to apply a field dressing, properly remove a deer, and tan a deer hide. Several experienced harvesters from the community will mentor others during this program.
The purpose of the Town's Deer Management Strategy is to reduce the deer population numbers within the Town of Truro for the benefit of natural ecosystems, citizen landscapes, reducing Deer Vehicle Collisions (DVC's), public health concerns, the possible presence of deer predators, and an overall reduction of deer human conflict. While residents will need to learn to live with deer long-term, there are several measures that people can take to assist with deer management efforts in Truro and help to bring the urban deer population within a manageable number. The most important management tool for residents is to stop the feeding of deer within and around the Town.
"We encourage all Nova Scotians to keep wildlife wild by not leaving food outside and eliminating other attractants. Feeding entices wildlife into populated areas and poses risks to both humans and wild animals. We continue working with the Town of Truro on their Deer Management Strategy to help mitigate deer-human conflicts and create an environment where people and wildlife coexist," said Glen Parsons, Manager of Sustainable Wildlife Use, Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.
The Deer Management Working Group was formed in March 2021 and the pdf Deer Management Strategy (2.60 MB) was approved by Truro Town Council in September 2021.
The approved Deer Management Strategy sets overall goals for mitigating deer-human conflicts and highlights all elements of deer management throughout the Town. This includes management options at
At the individual level, in order to reduce conflicts to individual properties, public education options, as well as population reduction options. While individuals are encouraged to focus on measures on their own individual properties, the Town will focus on public education and population reduction measures (with oversight and guidance from Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Renewables).
For more information on the Deer Management Strategy and the efforts of the Working Group, residents are encouraged to visit: Interactive Truro: Hub Connect and click on the Urban Deer Management tab.
For more information contact: Alison Grant
Town of Truro
(902)893-1424
