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STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO

 

The city of Granite Shoals’s wildlife committee and its deer management program have provided more than 2 tons of venison so far this year for residents as well as organizations that help those in need. The program also helps reduce the number of vehicle-deer collisions.

Volunteer certified bowhunters removed 46 deer since the hunting season opened earlier this year. Those deer have produced 2,699 pounds of meat.

That equals $12,353.74 of processed venison.

The seven volunteer bowhunters sent 352 pounds to His Joshua House, a place where men with addiction issues or other problems can go to learn skills to help shape them into productive members of the community.

Harvesters kept 410 pounds, while individuals claimed 1,761 pounds, and the remaining amount went to other organizations.

Committee chairman Jason Brady gave the first report of the program for the 2018 deer season during the Granite Shoals City Council’s regular meeting Dec. 11.

City Manager Jeff Looney said the committee’s and program’s work is vital to ensure drivers in the city see fewer deer near roads. With fewer deer along the city streets, there’s less chances for vehicle-animal collisions. A collision with a deer can not only damage the vehicle but also injury the driver and/or passengers.

“It’s going to take a couple of more years to see the effects it has,” he said.

Looney noted the program costs the city about $5,000. Other cities spend tens of thousands of dollars more than that, he added.

“That’s pretty sweet,” he said. “We get a big bang for the buck.”  

The council also:

• voted to authorize the extension of the Declaration of Disaster that was issued by Mayor Carl J. Brugger in October after the flood to ensure money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “We don’t want to lose our status,” Looney said. “It impacts the city itself from recouping taxpayer money spent on equipment, parkland, and those kinds of things.”

• approved contracts with Craig Bell, president of TRC Companies Inc. of Austin as a city engineer of record and Robert Trailor as a city financial adviser of record. The two will be paid percentages according to market value or the value of the project.

jfierro@thepicayune.com

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