Lakeway's deer population is only 500 animals according to the Deer Control Committee's own census. If no action is taken to reduce the size of the herd, we could have 2500 deer in Lakeway within 7-8 years. Should that happen, the 500 deer killed on Lakeway streets in 1999 could swell to over 800 animals killed annually on our streets. The City Council is ignoring the will of the majority of our citizens. The City Council has sought to reduce the deer population in accordance with the wishes of the voters of Lakeway.
Trapping is the most humane solution to the deer problem.
All the wildlife biologists who the City consulted agreed that trapping and relocation deer is less humane than euthanasia. Survival rates of relocated deer are frequently low. 2 High mortality of relocated deer is due to their inability to cope with new environments, stress caused by their relocation, and activity of predators. The City Council will be ignoring the will of the people if it implements a deer depredation program. People will be shooting deer in our yards.