Granite Shoals approves bowhunting of female deer in city
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
UPDATED STORY
GRANITE SHOALS — A select group of bowhunters will be aiming for deer in Granite Shoals this fall after the city council adopted the wildlife management harvesting program for the deer population during its regular meeting Feb. 23.
The measure, which begins in October, passed 7-0.
Interested hunters must apply for the program. Then, officials will chose 10 hunters who are licensed to hunt in the state and meet other requirements.
Some of the requirements include using specific archery equipment including draw weight and broadhead size; attending a program overview; passing a 15-question exam with a 100 percent score that includes 10 photos of “shoot” and “don’t shoot” situations; and demonstrating monthly shooting proficiency. The hunting would only be allowed in certain areas of the city, chosen for safety and away from homes.
In addition, the pilot program would only allow for the harvesting of white-tailed does, which was a recommendation from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, officials said. TPWD experts believe harvesting the females will better control the population as opposed to simply removing the males.
Assistant City Manager Peggy Smith said the council made one modification to the original proposal. The program is on a voluntary basis without financial compensation and the hunter is responsible for disposal of the animal.
“The council was very comfortable with the program,” she said. “There really wasn’t a lot of conversation. The council felt comfortable going forward with the program.”
In January, council members attended a workshop with the city’s Wildlife Committee and staff members to examine options available for controlling the deer population. Two weeks ago, council members had a first reading of the program. And on Feb. 23, they adopted plan.
The Wildlife Advisory Committee meets Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Granite Shoals City Hall, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road. The meeting is open to the public.
Individuals interested in applying for the program will be able to do so through the city’s website once the city adopts the application.
jfierro@thepicayune.com
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Only a very limited pilot program was approved last night by City Council. The program will involve a very restricted number of members of the hunting team, ten hunters who can pass the rigorous proficiency test(s) to not only make the team but maintain membership. This program will be held in only a small number of select locations within the city. The locations will be chosen for safety; they will not be near homes. The pilot program as adopted last night will be discussed by the Wildlife Advisory Committee at their regular meeting Thursday night, February 25, 2016 at 6:30 PM at the City Hall. Meetings are open to the public for any interested citizens. At this time, no official applications are available to apply to be in the program as a hunter. As soon as the applications are adopted, these will be posted on the city website. Thank you.