EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Town leaders have officially declared the deer population in the Town of Aurora a nuisance after voting unanimously on a resolution Monday night to address community concerns.
Town Board Member Joseph McCann said the issue was brought to their attention by the local garden club, citing growing problems related to deer overpopulation.
According to the resolution, the town’s decision aims to:
- Promote a healthy and diverse environment
- Prevent the transmission of diseases to humans
- Reduce deer-related vehicle accidents
- Minimize damage to farmers’ crops
To tackle the issue, the Town of Aurora will move forward with New York State’s Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), run by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The program will provide landowners with two additional deer permits for hunters participating in the effort.
Due to firearm discharge restrictions within the Village of Aurora, town officials hope the program will create a perimeter around the village to help control the population within town limits.
In response to the town's decision, the DEC provided the statement below:
"DEC works closely with local communities to provide informational and technical support designed to address issues of deer overabundance and ensure human health and the environment are protected. Deer are a prolific species whose populations often grow extremely quickly without sufficient controls. Deer overabundance is typically a community-wide issue that must have strong community support."
Village of Aurora resident Lyn Chimera expressed support for the initiative, saying she is "proud of the community" for taking action.
The town’s next steps will focus on implementing the program and coordinating with local hunters to manage the deer population effectively.
