Deer Birth Control Could Prevent Collisions

white-tailed deer fawn

…A birth control injection for deer puts them completely out of the mood to mate for up to five years without a booster. GonaCon, as the birth control is called, even eliminates dangerous and destructive courtship behaviors responsible for the autumn increase in collisions between cars and deer…

…The vaccine causes deer to produce antibodies that destroy the GnRH before it can ever trigger the sex hormones. USDA studies on white-tailed deer, free-ranging California ground squirrels, captive Norway rats, domestic and feral swine and wild horses have shown GonaCon to be effective in a wide range of animals.

The birth control vaccine could even be useful for pets and domesticated animals that have not been spayed or neutered. In cats, for example, scent-spraying, fighting, wandering, and caterwauling could be controlled…more

Daily Photo: Deer in Solon

Peek-a-boo!

Photo by Chris Mazzolini

more...

Suburbia’s Deer Problem

photo courtesy WCPN, 
NPR Cleveland, The Sound of Ideas

…The debate over how to cull the herd rages on, with the city of Solon now a focal point as the city again turns to hunting while residents go to the ballot to outlaw it…more

Upcoming Vote on Deer Hunting Looms Over Solon's Deer Plans

Ward 2 Councilman Bob Pelunis said the city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on sharpshooting earlier this decade, only to stop the program and have the deer problem become as bad if not worse than it was before.

"What do we really

have to show for that money?" he said.

"We keep coming back to the same position”

…more

Solon City Council Quick Takes: Deer Legislation, Solar Center Moratorium and More

Solon City Council

…looming over discussions of culling Solon's growing deer herd is the ballot initiative that would outlaw hunting in Solon…more

Election 2011: Solon to Vote on Deer Preservation Act

… deer hunting, either with sharpshooters or with bow hunting, will pose a danger to children and 

residents…more

Mentor looking at new program that could reduce vehicle-animal collisions

City officials met last week with Northeast Ohio Area wide Coordinating Agency staff about a pilot program to help reduce the number of vehicle-animal collisions through the use of technology…more

Deer culling debate heading to ballot in Solon

“We far exceeded our (mandatory) target of 980 signatures and we are confident the Solon Deer Preservation Act will be on the November ballot for the citizens of Solon to decide,” organizers posted on their website at SolonDeer.com...more

Deer culling debate heading to ballot in Solon

deer, courtesy Chagrin Solon Sun

SOLON It’s official — deer hunters and their supporters will face opposition on the Nov. 8 ballot.

As anticipated, the voters’ initiative known as the Solon Deer Preservation Act will be appearing on the ballot, after the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections received 1,664 signatures on collected petitions.

Of those, 1,342 were found to be valid, in terms of registered voters living within Solon. That was well over the “10 percent plus one” minimum required by the elections board.

“We far exceeded our (mandatory) target of 980 signatures and we are confident the Solon Deer Preservation Act will be on the November ballot for the citizens of Solon to decide,” organizers posted on their website at SolonDeer.com...

…Another inflammatory component of the city’s revisiting the deer culling program would be the addition of crossbow hunting, which city officials say could slash costs. Opponents have already voiced fierce opposition to its inclusion, as well...more