(A) Mule deer within the White Sulphur Springs City limits which have become habituated to human activity and are behaving aggressively will be dispatched by the Meagher County Sheriff’s Department or their agents as soon as possible after verifying the deer’s behavior or activities pose a threat to human safety or property. Resident deer threatening the safety of pets confined to yards may also be dispatched. The Meagher County Sheriff, designated deputies, or their assigned agents are the only persons legally allowed to discharge firearms within the City limits. Public complaints need to be first directed to the Meagher County Dispatch Center (1-406-547-3397).
(B) The City and County Sheriff may choose to trap and euthanize a number of deer resident within the City limits each year between August 15 and February 15 in order to reduce overall deer density. The number of deer removed each year will be limited by the terms of a Permit To Destroy Game Animals Causing Damage issued to the County Sheriff by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
(C) All deer removed under this Action Plan must be documented and a record of those removals maintained by the City of White Sulphur Springs. An annual report will be provided to Fish, Wildlife and Parks which includes the date and nature of any public complaints, the responding Meagher County Sheriff/agent(s), the number of deer dispatched, the method of removal, and the disposition of the deer removed. Carcasses will be disposed of in accordance with FWP rules and statutes; and venison fit for human consumption will be donated to the Meagher County Nutritional Coalition for charitable distribution. Deer which have been killed due to vehicle-deer collisions within City limits will be removed by the Meagher County Sheriff’s Department, White Sulphur Springs Animal Control, or city maintenance staff, and such will not be included in the permit numbers allowed to be taken (salvage of game animals: M.C.A. § 87-3-145).
(D) All FWP regulations and Montana State Statutes and ARM rules apply, including terms of a Permit To Destroy Game Animals Causing Damage which may be issued to the Meagher County Sheriff’s Department by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
(E) Citizens of White Sulphur Springs must refrain from artificially feeding or providing supplemental feed attractants to resident and wild deer pursuant to M.C.A. § 87-6-216. Artificial feeding is a misdemeanor and encourages deer to habituate to the urban environment and create human/deer conflict. Wild deer that enter the City are less likely to become resident and/or remain in the City when artificial feed is contained.(1985 Code, § 8.06.040)