COUNCIL BLUFFS — The number of deer taken down in Council Bluffs during the annual bow-hunting season continues to climb.
A total of 154 deer were harvested by the season's end Jan. 29 in the fourth year of a program to reduce the deer population. The total compared with 138 the year before and 116 two years ago.
"I want it to continue to go up," said City Health Director Donn Dierks.
His goal this year had been to take at least 200 deer, but the mild weather hampered things, Dierks said. "It's more difficult to hunt when there's no snow," he said.
Sixty-six bow hunters participated this year, and 45 of them took at least one doe, according to Dierks' figures. Nineteen deer were taken along the Woodbury Avenue area, with 13 taken along Gunn Avenue and 13 along Veterans Memorial Highway.
As an incentive to take does, hunters received a tag to hunt bucks if they took four does. They could then receive another tag for each additional doe taken. Four bucks were taken as a result of this incentive program.
Since bow-hunting was approved at specific times and locations by the City Council in 2008, approximately 454 deer have been taken within the city limits.
The reduction in the deer population apparently has led to fewer deer being killed on city streets by vehicles, according to Dierks' figures.
Animal control officials collected 161 dead deer in 2011. This compares with 239 collected in 2006, before the hunting program was in place.
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