Bayside sharpshooters won't need permission to cull herd in some areas

The village will no longer need to get consent of abutting property owners when hunting deer on sites that are 5 acres or greater. The Village Board granted a waiver for the consent Thursday night at its board meeting, reasoning that 5-acres sites are large enough that neighbors would not be impacted by sharpshooters hired to reduce the size of the deer herd.

There are larger sites up and down the ravines along the lake in the village, although the waiver would most likely apply to property owners abutting the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.

Village Attorney Chris Jaekels said sharpshooters would be under the supervision of both the police chief and village manager and would not pose a danger to abutting properties.

"They wouldn't be setting up a few feet from property lines," Jaekels said.

Director of Community and Utility Services Alex Henderson said the village has not done its aerial count of the deer herd nor has it contracted with sharpshooters to cull the herd at this point. Once the size of the herd is determined, staff will decide if the herd needs to be reduced.