Debate centers on culling versus 4-posters
After months of wrangling about the effect of 4-poster units, the Town’s Deer & Tick Committee Wednesday morning agreed an updated review of their use is in order and that more attention needs to be paid to culling the deer herd.The conclusions came after committee chairman Mike Scheibel referenced the views of Dr. John Rasweiler, a retired medical school professor and Cornell-trained reproductive physiologist.
Dr. Rasweiler has questioned whether ticks are able to build up an immunity to the tickicide permethrin and also noted that deploying and maintaining the units is both expensive and never ending.
In a column in the Suffolk Times, one of the Reporter’s sister papers, Dr. Rasweiler wrote: “It is now clear that one effective method of reducing tick levels and human cases of Lyme disease is already available. That is to substantially reduce excessive deer populations.”
“That’s what you’ve been saying all along,” Mr. Scheibel told Mr. Wein.
There was general agreement that an updated study needs to take place dealing with the ongoing effectiveness of 4-posters.
Only member Henry Amann deferred some, concerned that what he sees as the effectiveness of the units shouldn’t be ignored.
Such a study should be federally funded, Mr. Wein said, pointing out the problem is nationwide.
In the meantime, no one is suggesting abandoning the units, but the committee is expecting to see more money devoted to deer management once the Town Board finalizes its 2016 budget.
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
The Deer & Tick Committee is hunting for a replacement for member Jim Colligan who was elected to the Town Board Tuesday and may well be its liaison, but won’t be able to continue as a committee member.
For at least the second time around, the rest of the committee knows the person they want to replace Mr. Colligan — hunter Beau Payne, who also serves as the town’s animal control officer — but Mr. Payne continues to refuse the appointment.
He attends most Deer & Tick Committee meetings and offers advice from his perspective about the efforts the group is making to cull the deer herd and reduce the tick population responsible for tick-borne diseases. But he has said he doesn’t want to be held to attending regular monthly meetings.
When Mr. Payne suggested Wednesday morning that the committee members seeking a replacement for Mr. Colligan consider others who were discussed prior to the appointments a few months ago of Henry Amann and Charles Tiernan, chairman Mike Scheibel was quick to try to capitalize on the moment.
“Does that mean you’ve reconsidered?” Mr. Scheibel asked.
“No,” Mr. Payne held firm.
“That would be a home run,” Mr. Colligan said. But if not Mr. Payne, perhaps the committee could identify another hunter who could be an asset to the committee, he suggested.
NUISANCE WILDLIFE CONTROL PERMITS
Much of the attention at Wednesday’s meeting dealt with trying to attract more than the two hunters who currently hold Nuisance Wildlife Control Operators Permits. A hunter with such a permit could be hired by the town and trained by White Buffalo Inc., a company specializing in deer management techniques, to cull the herd on the Island.
A hunter seeking consideration would have to pass a test and pay a $50 fee for the permit, Mr. Payne said.
What Mr. Wein was pushing for is to have a number of hunters obtain the permit so the town could arrange for training and deployment of several as money becomes available.
The committee expects to have funds to pay at least two trained and licensed hunters for the 2016 nuisance hunting season, but would be looking to expand that effort if it proves productive and more money is forthcoming.
