BEACHWOOD, Ohio — City Council would like to explore sterilization as a method of reducing the Beachwood deer population, but it is too late to do so this year.
At its Sept. 16 meeting, council discussed managing Beachwood’s deer population by again partnership with the city of Shaker Heights, as it has done in the past few years.
In a recent survey, 65 percent of Beachwood residents stated their desire to see a continuation of the management of the deer population, the biggest reasons being that deer consume plants in residents’ yards, and make for a hazard when crossing city streets.
As part of its discussion, council heard about the combined sterilization/sharpshooting program that has been used in South Euclid the past four years.
The sterilization portion of the program can currently only be undertaken, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, as part of a research project to help learn of its effectiveness, and by gaining outside funding for that research.
The Connecticut-based nonprofit White Buffalo is conducting research as part of the South Euclid program.
Deer that are sterilized in South Euclid have two tags placed on their ears. Research has so far determined that deer roam much more than previously thought, as tagged deer from South Euclid have been found in Pennsylvania.
South Euclid uses the services of U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters, as do the cities of Richmond Heights and Highland Heights.
South Euclid’s sterilization program received, through the efforts of Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon, county funding in the amount of $80,000. The cost of sterilizing one deer is about $3,500, even as South Euclid has had the benefit of local veterinarians donating their skills to sterilize the animals.
Beachwood, in partnering in recent years with Shaker Heights, has hired former Shaker Heights police officer James Mariano, whose business, through his company Precision Wildlife, is deer culling via sharpshooting.
Studies have, thus far, shown that sterilization is most effective when combined with culling.
“Our office has heard from numerous residents over the past nine months, and prior to that, that the community is in favor of the deer culling that we’ve done in the past few years in conjunction with the city of Shaker Heights, and would like to continue doing so,” Mayor Justin Berns told council.
“I would like council to continue this. It’s very unusual that two communities work this closely together on a project like this.”
Beachwood’s deer management program was established under the guidance of ODNR. The program aims to maintain a balanced deer population with a goal of “maintaining a healthy and sustainable (deer) population, and to prevent negative impacts, such as damage to our landscaping gardens and deer-related vehicle accidents.”
The city’s deer management plan includes a decision-making matrix based on two main factors — dead deer pickups (from accidents or other means) in the city remaining at 15 or less (pickups totaled 20 in the past year), and residents’ feedback on population reduction amounting to at least 60 percent who favor deer reduction. The survey showed 65 percent.
The city’s website includes its deer management plan, as well as several other items relating to deer.
Councilwoman Danielle Shoykhet said she would like to explore further the costs for South Euclid’s sterilization/culling program program to better determine if Beachwood could also pursue a sterilization program. Shoykhet said she has talked with Simon about the possibility of taking such action in Beachwood.
Mariano told Beachwood council that it should examine all alternatives, but reminded that even if sterilization is pursued it is most effective when used in collaboration with culling.
Councilwoman Ali Stern said that, for this coming season, continuing the culling program is the only alternative.
“I just want to confirm, or reiterate, that if we don’t move forward with this plan there are no natural predators to help maintain a balanced eco system within Beachwood, Shaker Heights, and the neighboring communities,” she said. “Really the only way the deer die, essentially, is natural causes, disease or car accidents.”
Council decided to hold off on taking a vote on whether to proceed with Mariano’s culling services until its next meeting on Oct. 7.
Mariano told council that he can still cull the 90 deer the city’s program calls for this season if he can lay bait by Oct. 31. The bait is put out to bring deer to a central location for culling that is safely away from homes and pedestrians.
In the meantime, Berns said he would speak with Shaker Heights Mayor David Weiss to ask if Shaker would be interested in examining for the 2025-26 deer management season a sterilization program.
Read more from the Sun Press.
