Members of DeerSafe Victoria are feeling insulted after receiving a letter from the Capital Regional District ignoring their request to remove a member from the deer management advisory group.

Representatives from DeerSafe sent a letter to the CRD on May 14 asking for the removal of Richard Christiansen, a bowhunter, from the citizenB次元官网网址檚 advisory group and for the appointment of a DeerSafe member.

In a response from CRD Chair Geoff Young, dated May 30, B次元官网网址渢here was no attemptB次元官网网址� to address DeerSafeB次元官网网址檚 concerns regarding Christiansen, said Kelly Carson, one of the founding members of DeerSafe.

B次元官网网址淭his is no laughing matter and I donB次元官网网址檛 appreciate that weB次元官网网址檙e being laughed at by the CRD, basically, because weB次元官网网址檙e talking about lives,B次元官网网址� Carson said. B次元官网网址淲e know that there are better ways of handling (deer) than killing them.B次元官网网址�

DeerSafeB次元官网网址檚 main concern is that the advisory group will continue to progress towards a cull.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty clear that the killing solution is going to be the first action to be taken,B次元官网网址� Carson said.

More than half of the 11-member committee seems to be leaning towards a pro-cull method of deer management, Carson said, noting that member Lisa KadonagaB次元官网网址檚 position is not yet known because of her absence at the CAGB次元官网网址檚 first two meetings.

Members of DeerSafe have been to both CAG meetings so far and plan to attend them all.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e been very respectful to the CRD,B次元官网网址� Carson said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e attempted to communicate with them that we have a couple of experts in our group who know about humane alternatives to (culling) deer (but) thereB次元官网网址檚 been no conversation B次元官网网址� thereB次元官网网址檚 been no acknowledgement.B次元官网网址�

Young has previously stated that it would be unlikely for the board to remove members from the advisory group unless a member was repeatedly absent from meetings or seemed unprepared to participate.

He also stated that while members of the CAG may be representatives from certain groups, the hope is that some common ground can be reached in discussions.

For more information, or to find out when the CAG meets next, go to crd.bc.ca/regionalplanning/deermanage.htm or email deermanagement@crd.bc.ca.