Syracuse-area state Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter wants action soon from Gov. Cuomo’s office on a bill that affects communities attempting to deal with a growing deer population.
Hunter has been working on a wildlife management bill for several years, as central New York municipalities grapple with deer encroaching on more urban areas. The bill passed both the Assembly and Senate this year. It’s a public safety and health issue. Many of these deer are the source of ticks that carry the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease.
As part of the process, Hunter said her office has been answering questions from the Department of Environmental Conservation. She expects once the DEC is satisfied, then the governor can sign the legislation. The thing is, Hunter said if communities want to start culling programs within the next year, they’ll need to get permits soon.
"It takes like 60, 90 days to go through the permit process. So for them to work through any cull, it takes place in winter. And we’re talking the winter between December, January early February, So they would have to have permits in by September 1," said Hunter.
Syracuse lawmakers approved a new tick and deer management plan earlier this year after a citizen advisory group recommended culling, as a way to deal with a deer populations that doubles every three years in the city.
