MORGANTOWN — BOPARC will consider allowing bow hunters to return to park property for the first time since 2015 as part of the city’s annual urban deer hunt.
Program coordinator Rick Bebout presented the recreation commission with a proposal on Wednesday outlining a total of nine tree stand locations across four park properties — one in Marilla Park; two in Dorsey’s Knob; and three in both White Park and Krepps Park.
“This would be treated no different in terms of how we operate than any other high-traffic areas,” Bebout said. “Right now, we have hunters in the Core Arboretum. We have them on both sides of West Run, the WVU Forest wood lot as well as the West Run woods where they have the new mountain bike trails.”
The first urban hunt occurred in 2011. The program received unanimous approval from Morgantown City Council after infrared imaging of the city indicated as many as 50 deer per square mile living in the urban environment.
The density of population was not only causing havoc on local roadways, it was also forcing animals into neighborhoods and yards for food.
White Park, Dorsey’s Knob and Krepps Park were actually part of the hunt through 2015. During that time 69 deer were taken off those properties.
BOPARC Assistant Director Marissa Travinski said BOPARC stopped participating after staff noticed occurrences of “baiting” and hunting outside program hours.
Over the past 12 years, hunters have harvested 1,129 deer city-wide and donated 11,706 pounds of ground venison to recipients like Pantry Plus More, Caritas House and the Trinity Episcopal Church soup kitchen.
Bebout explained that all hunters apply through the city manager’s office and must complete an international bowhunter education foundation certification course. A map of all stand locations, including the corresponding hunters, is filed with the city.
“That’s probably what separates our hunt from any other in the state, maybe in the country, is the level of detail, safety and control,” Bebout said, later adding, “I understand the sensitivities to the park and the park patrons. The people we would put in here would be some of our best people. It would be zero tolerance. We operate like that now. In these high traffic, public facing areas, it’s zero tolerance.”
The annual archery hunt runs from September through the end of the year. It reopens in mid-January and runs through the end of the month.
Morgantown Mayor and BOPARC member Jenny Selin said she recalls the pre-hunt days when large numbers of deer would clatter through city streets in search of food.
“For home gardeners … I don’t mind sharing, but it got ridiculous with that amount of deer,” she said, adding, “I am a supporter of the program because we don’t have any of the predators that once would have been here to take care of the numbers when it gets to be too many.”
