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BOUNTIFUL, Utah (AP) -- Wildlife officials have been getting angry complaints from residents upset that an apparently injured deer was shot to death in a neighborhood.
Robert Hasenyager, northern regional supervisor for the Division of Wildlife Resources, said dispatchers received a call Monday afternoon that there were two injured deer in an area that borders North Salt Lake and Bountiful.
The two deer were part of an urban herd of 300 deer that had been adopted by residents in the area. Officers learned as soon as they shot the buck that the injury was an old one. They then let the doe go back to her herd.
"Unfortunately, kids were getting out of school at the same time, and unfortunately we didn't know that it was an existing injury," Hasenyager said.
The decision to shoot what appeared to be an injured deer is one that has to be made every time a deer is hit by a vehicle and left on the side of the road, Hasenyager said.
The urban herd has been in the area as long as anyone can remember, Hasenyager said. As a general rule, DWR does not promote urban deer herds, but in this case the division decided against moving the herd because the majority of the residents enjoys watching the animals.
Hasenyager said he has received many phone calls and e-mails concerning the incident.
"We do appreciate the public's concern. Unfortunately there has been some misinformation, but we do sympathize with them and appreciate their support in watching the deer," Hasenyager said.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
