East Lansing plans park closures for deer cull

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Intermittent park closures are planned in the City of East Lansing parks for the purposes of deer removal operations.

The specific date the deer removal will begin was not stated.

According to city officials, parks will be closed, when posted, during the evening and overnight hours on intermittent weekdays. On the evenings that the operation is taking place, barricades/signs will be posted at park entrances (including parking lots and pedestrian paths) notifying the public of the park closures.

Barricades/signs will be put into place beginning at 4 p.m., with all designated parks closed by 6 p.m. The parks will remain closed until 7 a.m. the following morning to allow for the removal operations.

It will be unlawful for any person, except those authorized by the acting city manager for the deer removal operations, to enter or remain in the parks when they are closed.

During the park closures, United States Department of Agriculture biologists highly trained in the use of firearms will be conducting professional deer removal under a cooperative service agreement with the City of East Lansing and a permit from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, according to city officials.

The removal of a portion of the deer population is happening to address deer overpopulation in the East Lansing community, which has resulted in vehicle/deer accidents, public health concerns, damage to landscaping and a disruption to the ecological balance of natural areas, according to city officials.

Community members can visit the City of East Lansing website for information about city’s deer management efforts to date.

Letters have been sent out to residents in the immediate area of the parks where this work will be completed.

Deer that are removed from East Lansing’s parks will be processed and the venison will be donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Michigan Sportsmen Against Hunger is generously providing the funding for the processing of the venison. For additional information about this winter’s deer removal operations, view the City of East Lansing’s Frequently Asked Questions.

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