Tega Cay residents split on sharpshooters to manage deer population

TEGA CAY, S.C. — Tega Cay residents are nearly evenly divided when it comes to using sharpshooters to tackle the growing number of deer in the city.

Leaders in Tega Cay wanted to hear from residents before creating a final plan, and Channel 9′s Tina Terry found the results of a new survey are a little surprising to some.

“The deer don’t really bother me, they definitely eat my flowers,” said Lauren Davis.

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Davis recognizes the deer population in her neighborhood is getting larger, and she supports a non-lethal solution to the problem.

“I think the contraceptive would be my thing,” Davis said.

But she also says she would allow a sharpshooter to use her property to kill deer during the next hunting season.

“I guess I’d be fine with it if that’s their solution to take care of the deer, but personally, I think it’s weird,” Davis said.

In the winter, we told you how the city closed a golf course and let sharpshooters hunt deer overnight. They killed 36 deer, but their goal was 160. Afterward, the sharpshooters said they could have had better performance if they could shoot during the day, for longer hours, and from people’s homes.

Some neighbors said that plan was just too dangerous.

“People worry about their kids, their dogs, things like that,” Davis said.

When asked how much neighbors supported an annual sharpshooting program to manage the deer population, 47% said they strongly support it, and 13% said they somewhat support that option.

When asked how much neighbors supported an annual immunocontraceptive (non-lethal) program, 43% said they strongly support it, and 27% said they somewhat support that option.

To view all the responses to the survey, click this link.

City leaders say nearly 1,200 people responded to the survey. It could be fall before city leaders vote on a deer management plan.

(WATCH: Tega Cay mayor wants a swift end to city’s dominating deer dilemma)

Tega Cay mayor wants a swift end to city’s dominating deer dilemma

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