Council: Airport deer can be hunted

SANDPOINT — Deer at the airport are running a muck, and  airport manager Dave Schuck was denied permission to kill the animals with short range weapons or cross bows, a request he made to the council during the regular meeting Wednesday. The council agreed to allow the airport to use archery, traps and humanely kill the animals trapped with a .22-caliber weapon.

The measure proposed to the council states that deer will be hunted in the city limits by experienced hunters filling their normal hunting tags for the regular hunting season. The airport has to have council approval to allow the discharge of weapons in the city limits.

The Sandpoint City Council had much debate on the topic and Councilwoman Shannon Williamson and Councilman Bill Aitken were no votes, after multiple votes were made regarding the topic. Councilwoman Deb Fragoso, Councilman Thomas Eddy and Mayor Carrie Logan voted for approval.  

There are about 10-12 deer that frequent the airport, Schuck said. Schuck said the deer are no longer frightened of airplanes and have become comfortable in their surroundings.  

"It we were able to take 10 or 12 animals, we would stop our efforts and see how things responded," Schuck said to the council. "Our hope, our goal, is that we are able to trap anything that gets in there."  

The debate stemmed from many sides, including should the animals be relocated. Schuck said the mortality rate is about 7 percent for animals that are moved. Other questions included harvesting the meat, who will be doing the killing and other methods used in the past.

Logan asked about fencing to help keep the animals out and Schuck said the Federal Aviation Administration plans on putting in a fence, for about $900,000, in 2019. Schuck said all of the shots will be facing inward, toward airport property.  

"We will not be shooting across fencelines," he said, adding they will be shooting toward the interior of the airport or along the fenceline, but will not cross.

Both Eddy and Fragoso stated they were not comfortable with the use of firearms that close to residential areas.

The council did not specify about cross bows, and had to amend the decision. After a short debate about why the longer-range cross bow is needed, the council voted to not allow their use at the airport, by the same vote as before of 3-2.

Councilwoman Williamson said that the efforts last year using archery was unsuccessful and this is a resident population of deer. She feels the airport should take a conservative approach to trapping and releasing the animals.