Scio Township Moves Forward with Deer Management Proposal

The Scio Township Board approved by a 4-3 vote at its Nov. 10 meeting a proposal that originates with a concern for deer management.

This proposal has been met with some opposition in the community, including seeing township clerk Jessica Flintoft, Treasurer Ryan Yaple and board trustee Kathleen Brant voting against it, but the township is moving forward with those in support saying it’s just a first step in an effort to better understand the deer situation in Scio.

Deer Management Proposal

In the report prepared by Parks, Preserves and Pathways Director Murphy Harrington, it states the purpose of the proposed deer-management resolution “is to authorize a thorough, science-based assessment and bring relevant information, professional expertise, and recommendations to the Township Board for consideration.”

“This effort would involve gathering and analyzing available data by consulting with the Michigan DNR and other qualified wildlife professionals, USDA Wildlife Services as appropriate, SEMCOG, and neighboring jurisdictions, as well as mapping deer-vehicle collisions, soliciting resident input through surveys and community outreach, and considering available information on deer population size, distribution, movement, and impacts,” Harrington’s report said. “Research would also include identifying potential management approaches, associated costs, funding opportunities, regulatory requirements, and necessary permits.”

Harrington’s report said “Scio Township has a long-standing and measurable deer-management concern that warrants further investigation and informed consideration by the Township Board.”

She said Michigan State Police data document approximately 150 deer-involved traffic crashes in Scio Township in each of the last three reported years: 151 in 2022, 148 in 2023, and 152 in 2024.

“This demonstrates that deer-vehicle collisions represent a persistent public safety concern,” Harrington said in her report. “The Township’s mix of residential neighborhoods, agricultural lands, roads, parks, preserves, and other natural areas also presents a range of potential impacts associated with deer populations. Michigan DNR guidance identifies deer-vehicle collisions, crop damage, disease, and ecological impacts, including challenges to forest regeneration, as indicators that deer abundance may warrant further evaluation. Together, these factors provide a sound basis for researching local deer populations, documenting associated impacts, and evaluating whether current conditions align with the Township’s public safety, environmental, and community priorities.”

Board Concerns and Support

Those on board against the proposal cited various concerns and questions.

Flintoft told the Sun Times News these centered around: the current and future likely financial costs, unbudgeted and from the General Fund; ethical concerns about the likely recommendation to kill deer instead of more humane alternatives for deer management, and practical concerns that wildlife management is not the purview of the Township, but of the State and others, and the fact that the Township is not a research organization as is a university or similar.

Brant said the township isn’t tasked with doing animal management. She and Flintoft also expressed concerns about the use of drones and paying for the proposal out of the general fund.

Yaple said he didn’t think the proposal was fully ready for a board vote and there was more to get in order such as a budget and contract.

The board members supporting the proposal said this was just a first step to help them get a better idea as to what the deer situation is.

Board trustee Kathy Knol said she understands this is a controversial issue, but she supports the proposal at this time. However, she said she expects to have more discussion on how to move forward once more is known.

Board trustee David Read said the big part of the proposal is to know how many deer there are in the area and knowing the numbers are important before doing anything. He said this is just research.

This seemed to be the same sentiments of board trustee John Reiser and township supervisor Jillian Kerry, who said she supports a study.

Much of the support can probably be pointed back to this point in the report, “This initial resolution would not commit Scio Township to a specific management method or authorize implementation of a deer-removal program. Rather, it would support the collection and analysis of reliable information, consultation with appropriate experts, and development of evidence-based findings and recommendations for presentation to the Township Board. The Board would then be in a position to consider the research, weigh the available options, and determine whether any further action is warranted based on documented local conditions, professional guidance, community input, and the Township’s priorities.”

Harrington’s report said the goal is to give the Board a clear understanding of the nature and extent of the issue, the options available to address it, and the potential benefits, limitations, and implications of each approach.

“A comprehensive assessment could incorporate complementary methods, such as aerial surveys, spotlight surveys, deer-vehicle collision mapping, and township-wide resident surveys,” Harrington’s report said. “Combining multiple sources of information would provide a more complete picture of deer abundance, distribution, movement patterns, and community impacts than relying on any single method. The resulting findings would establish a local data baseline, help identify whether particular areas or impacts warrant additional attention, and provide an objective foundation for evaluating potential management strategies.”

The report also noted there are several Michigan-based consultants that offer thermal drone or aerial surveys to estimate deer populations, assess herd distribution, and buck-to-doe ratios.

The approved resolution stated the, “Township recognizes that any deer-management program should be based upon reliable information regarding deer abundance and distribution, deer-vehicle collision patterns, property and ecological impacts, resident concerns, applicable laws and regulations, available management methods, and recommendations from qualified wildlife professionals.”

To learn more about this, go to the township webpage at https://www.sciotownshipmi.gov/ and look under meeting records for the Nov. 10 board of trustees meeting.

Scio Township Moves Forward with Deer Management Proposal

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