OAK BAY, B.C. - Some blacktail deer in suburban Victoria are now foraging with a target on their backs.
Councillors in the District of Oak Bay have approved a cull as part of a deer management project.
Blacktail deer, which are smaller than their mule deer cousins, roam primarily at dawn and dusk and are often hit by unwary drivers, which Oak Bay Mayor Nils Jensen says poses a deadly risk to humans and deer, alike.
He says the district will now try to get an accurate count of the deer in the area, and culling will be one part of the plan to reduce those numbers.
Nils says many of the deer hit by cars in Oak Bay must be euthanized at the scene, which he says is not a humane way to die.
Several communities in southern and southeastern B.C., have proposed or conducted deer culls after the creatures damaged property, munched through gardens or became aggressive during mating or fawn season, attacking dogs or people.
