City Council Approves Plan to Decrease Geese, Deer Population in Maple Grove

A plan to manage the Maple Grove deer and goose population through hunting and removal received unanimous support Monday, Aug. 15.

The Wildlife Management Plan for 2011 proposed archery hunts and police-supervised remove “for the control of whitetail deer, and goose hunting as a means to help manage these species within the city,” according to a memo provided to the Council from the .

The approval of the plan was part of an annual process to help curb the deer and goose population in Maple Grove.  Within the plan, certain zones within the city are designated for archery hunting for deer and shotgun hunting for geese. People wanting to hunt in Maple Grove must get the necessary permission and permits outlined by the city as well as attend a Maple Grove Police Department hunter orientation course.

2010 Wildlife Report

Complaints in Maple Grove during 2010 mainly focused on “too many geese” around the city, including residential and park areas, according to the report presented to council.  The report also stated car verses deer accidents in the city were higher than the three years prior.

“Without these practices [controlled hunts/removal], the herd number would be substantially higher, causing an increase of problems within the city, including car verse deer accidents which totaled 59 in 2010,” the said in the report.

Last year’s controlled hunt yielded 19 deer and 397 geese in Maple Grove, according to the 2011 Wildlife Management Plan. Overall 78 deer were “eliminated” from the deer population in 2010 by either hunting or vehicle accidents.

“The fall of 2010 was a safe and successful season for hunters in Maple Grove,” the police department memo to the city council said. “Organized hunts provide recreational activity for the hunters and the city benefits from these hunts as they assist in managing resident wildlife populations.”

2011 Wildlife Management Plan

The Maple Grove City Council approved the 2011 Wildlife Management Plan Aug. 15 proposed by the police department that includes, but is not limited to:

• Goose hunting in select areas of the northwest portion of the city during the early, regular and late goose seasons.

• Archery hunting season for Capable Partners in city owned Svitaks Woods Dec. 1 to Dec. 31. Capable Partners is an organization providing hunting, fishing and related opportunities for the physically challenged.

• Police supervised removal.

• Any deer control measure(s) Three Rives Park District would recommend for Eagle Lake Park.

“We are confident the 2011 Wildlife Management Plan will work toward our goal of managing our deer and goose populations,” the police department memo to the City Council said. “We believe that the plan as proposed is safe.”

For more details about the 2011 Wildlife Management Plan, including specific hunting zones, check out the Aug. 15 Maple Grove City Council agenda by clicking here.