SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Deer can provide interesting nature viewing opportunities to urban dwellers but they lose their appeal when they begin to pose traffic risks to drivers or feed on gardens and ornamental shrubs.
People can learn more about the challenges being posed by deer within Springfield’s city limits at the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) “Oh Deer! Managing Springfield’s Urban Deer Populations” program Nov. 27 at MDC’s Springfield Conservation Nature Center. The free program, which will be for ages 10 and older, will be 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. People can register for this program at mdc.mo.gov/SouthwestEvents.
MDC Urban Wildlife Biologist Ashley Schnake will share the latest data and strategies for managing deer population numbers within the city of Springfield. Those strategies include the Springfield bowhunting ordinance and four managed archery hunts (Fellows Lake Sept. 22-Nov. 3, Fellows Lake Nov. 17-Dec. 16, Lake Springfield Oct. 27-Dec. 8, Springfield Conservation Nature Center Dec. 8-10). These strategies are components of a comprehensive plan to keep deer numbers inside Springfield’s city limits at a level that’s safe for citizens and healthy for deer.
People can get more information about this program and other events at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center by calling 417-888-4237, by going to mdc.mo.gov/springfield, or by visiting the facility in southeast Springfield at 4601 S. Nature Center Way.