Days After Deadly Deer Accident, Town Plans Public Forum

Only two days after a couple was airlifted to the hospital after a deer struck their motorcycle on County Road 48 in Peconic, the Southold town board announced an upcoming deer forum to address all sides of the deer issue.

Southold Town Special Projects Coordinator Phillip Beltz said after a series of hamlet-based community meetings over the past months, a primary concern of residents has been the problems posed by a burgeoning deer population.

To that end, a Deer Management Forum, to address ramifications and solutions for the overpopulation of deer in town, will be held on Thursday, Sept. 26, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Town of Southold Recreation Center.

Several deer forums in the past have led to the creation of a deer committee, Beltz said. 

The purpose of the new forum is to discuss previous initiatives launched to attempt to manage deer, due to their impact on the local economy and the hazards they pose to public safety, Beltz said.

The evening will focus on developing a multi-pronged approach to address overpopulation and bring together participants to discuss programs and associated costs, Beltz said.

Onboard will be Josh Stiller from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Joe Gergela of the Long Island Farm Bureau, to discuss the East End Deer Management Program, Shelter Island Mayor Jim Doherty to describe the four-poster program, Jason Boulanger from Cornell University, to address deer sterilization, a medical update from a representative of Eastern Long Island Hospital on tick borne illnesses, and others.

"The idea is to take the whole subject of deer and discuss every aspect," Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said.

Historically, he said, the town has discussed the deer harvesting program and tick borne illnesses. 

After Sunday's serious accident, he added, the aim is to show that not only are deer damaging to farms, yards, and ecosystems, but they can prove deadly on area roads.