TEGA CAY, S.C. — New data from Tega Cay shows the city has culled fewer than 40 deer since its wildlife management program began, which is less than one-quarter of the city's goal.
Tega Cay has approval to kill up to 160 deer of an estimated population of 1,000. As a reminder, the city allocated money and hired sharpshooters to help cull the overwhelming herds in the area, as they'd become a public nuisance. The original plan called for removing 80 deer but the plan was later changed to cull 160 animals at the Tega Cay Golf Club.
So far, data shows the culling has cost around $42,000 in taxpayer money. City Council heard a special presentation on potential deer management programs during Monday's meeting. Now, folks who live in Tega Cay are reacting to the progress and one person even offered an alternative solution.
"I think the city should put together a plan to put food somewhere so the deer will have something to eat so they could say out of your yard," Bert Broadway said. "A bag of corn's a heck of a lot cheaper than to kill them at $1,089."
And that seems to be the heart of the debate: the cost. The expected price tag was a little over $94,000. Meanwhile, it's up to Tega Cay leadership to figure out how to be both effective and efficient in handling the herds.
Contact Kia Murray at kmurray@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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