The East Lansing city council is scheduled to vote on a possible deer cull at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Mayor Ruth Baier says East Lansing has a rising deer population, and damage complaints have been increasing. Baier says one incident in particular pushed the council to consider a cull. “Up in Pinecrest, we actually had a deer come through a window and into a person’s house, so there was glass everywhere," she explains. "I think that was the episode that sparked our renewed interest in this.”
If the city proceeds with a cull, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources would set up a bow hunt to reduce the deer population. It’s too late to schedule a deer cull this season. If approved, the first would be held next winter.
Baier says the deer population may be higher in East Lansing, but there has not been an increase in car-deer accidents. There has never been a car-deer accident in the city that has resulted in serious injuries.
Meridian Township has conducted a deer hunt every year since 2011.
Tuesday’s council meeting is in Courtroom 2 of East Lansing’s 54B District Court in city hall, starting at 7 p.m.