Lebo Citizens: It's a Christmas miracle!

Monday, December 22, 2014

It's a Christmas miracle!

The archery program has been canceled.

Pay no attention to what is on the Mt. Lebanon website home page as of 11:47 AM.

No LeboAlert.

The Trib's Matt Santoni published this today, December 22, 2014 at 10:06 AM. Archery hunting in Mt. Lebanon called off for now

The Post-Gazette published this December 22, 2014 at 10:24 AM Mt. Lebanon cancels deer archery cull

Lebo Citizens Blog:

Well, this is another fine mess.
Elaine

December 21, 2014 at 10:21 PM

Update December 22, 2014 12:05 PM Ahh, there it is.

Update December 22, 2014 12:06 PM All is calm. All is bright on the municipal website.

Update December 22, 5:04 PM The Almanac published this today, December 22, 2014 at 11:39 AM. Lebo deer management hunt cancelled

Chief McDonough said despite the cancellation of its Deer Management Archery Program, the township still has some options to reduce its deer population – including Capture and Bolt, a harvesting program, or a sterilization program. He declined to go into detail about either plan and said the issue will likely be addressed at the Jan. 14 township meeting.

“It does not mean the commission is stepping back,” from the deer problem, said Susan Morgans, a township spokesperson. “There was only a short period of time to get this together.”

And that is her story and she is sticking to it. Chief McDonough did get it together in time. In addition, the commission meeting is on January 13, not January 14, 2015.

33 comments:

Anonymous said...: Elaine, I pulled up that same page you did about 2 weeks ago that showed how many licenses were left to purchase and Allegheny County had quite a few left, I just forget the exact number but it was more than 1000. Either the program wasn’t planned out very well or it was cancelled for some other reason. If you are a bow hunter, you don’t wait until the last minute to get a license.; December 22, 2014 at 10:58 AM
Anonymous said...: MT. LEBANON SCREWS UP AGAIN -- READY, FIRE, AIM !

THERE'S AN OLD, OLD SAYING, "PLAN AHEAD" WHICH LEBO DOESN'T DO WELL AT ALL. DIDN'T ALL THOSE EMPLOYEE CERTIFIED "HARVESTERS" & CERTIFIERS KNOW ABOUT LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND AVAILABILITY ?

WHEN DO THE HISSY-FITS BEGIN ? WHO WILL BE THE FIRST TO BLAME IT ON MILLER & SMITH ?; December 22, 2014 at 11:10 AM
Anonymous said...: From what I hear, licenses for Allegheny sold out the first week of December. Once again, incompetence, but I'm not complaining about this one.; December 22, 2014 at 11:14 AM
Anonymous said...: In the words of Tiny Tim

"God bless us everyone."; December 22, 2014 at 11:29 AM
Anonymous said...: Great news, except that some of these commissioners are like a dog on a bone... don't expect them to let it go.
The question for me is why did the Chief (for whom I had the great respect) immerse himself and his dept. in this specific issue.
I'm betting his intentions were basically good and he succumbed to the will of the power brokers.; December 22, 2014 at 11:30 AM
Anonymous said...: Something else worth questioning. Because of the limited number of licenses, experienced hunters know to get their licenses early in the season.

Who the heck were we sending into our parks to hunt deer if they didn't know to do this?

Nick M.; December 22, 2014 at 11:37 AM
Anonymous said...: 11:10 how could Miller or Smith have anything to do with this?
I do agree with your ready, fire, aim analogy though! It seems to be MTL MO over the past few years.; December 22, 2014 at 11:41 AM
Anonymous said...: HO-HO-HO, Merry Christmas !; December 22, 2014 at 11:50 AM
Anonymous said...: 11:41 AM The licensing is a Commonwealth requirement and function. Do you honestly think Miller and/or Smith were not pressured by our Gang of 4 commissioners plus Mgr. to intervene and override the Game Commission ?; December 22, 2014 at 11:58 AM
Lebo Citizens said...: Excellent question, Nick M. I think Lebo is just trying to save face. Notice how the golf course gift cards are being advertised next to the archery program on the home page of their website. I think that says it all. I don't think they wanted to lose the revenue. I'm not complaining! Whatever the case, Timmy didn't do squat. The school board directors did zilch. And we're still stuck with Linfante who will want sharpshooting.
Elaine; December 22, 2014 at 12:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Once again, Lebocitizen's editor scoopes the "reputable & official" public information office!; December 22, 2014 at 12:02 PM
Lebo Citizens said...: Excuse me, but the program has been SUSPENDED, not canceled.
Elaine; December 22, 2014 at 12:24 PM
Anonymous said...: 11:58, I've seen no evidence of that.
Am I above asking our state reps for help on an issue where they might have standing? Certainly I would, that is what they're there for so I'm not going to be critical on that point.; December 22, 2014 at 12:28 PM
Anonymous said...: Exactly Elaine! As pointed out by 11:30 am.; December 22, 2014 at 12:36 PM
Anonymous said...: If the Police were using licensed hunters, wouldn't they have been licensed already? Aren't licenses sold in the summer?; December 22, 2014 at 12:44 PM
Lebo Citizens said...: 12:44 PM, I don't know when licenses are sold, but the spin I am seeing from the PIO is that the commissioners are to blame for waiting until December 9 for the go ahead. The Chief had a plan worked out using 20 licensed archers. I'm not buying it.

Since I am not a reputable source for information, I was not part of the press release, but Lebo Citizen readers knew that already.
Elaine; December 22, 2014 at 1:00 PM
Lebo Citizens said...: Thank you for all the phone calls and emails. I am trying to respond to all the emails. Remember though, it's not over yet, everyone.
Elaine; December 22, 2014 at 1:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Dont the genius commissionets have to take actual legislative action in order to effect a previous motion that was approved? Pretty sure they cant just let something die on the vine if they voted for it. So my question is--if this is suspended, when did that discussion occur?; December 22, 2014 at 1:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Nick M. 11:37 AM

Right, if these were current and experienced bow hunters, why didn't they already have a hunting licensed purchased before now. It would appear that these municipal "hunters" were not active or experienced hunters, but police officers and employees who may have bow hunted some time in their past, or who were willing to try out for this hunting program to score some points with the Chief and managers, which raises some serious red flags on this entire hunting program.; December 22, 2014 at 1:42 PM
Anonymous said...: 1:21 MTL has a long, rich history of letting things they voted for "die on the vine".; December 22, 2014 at 1:56 PM
Anonymous said...: The only thing that is whithering on the vine due to municpal ineptitude is Mt. Lebanon's rich history of goodness and growth.; December 22, 2014 at 3:09 PM
Anonymous said...: 1:42, I agree wholeheartedly. If our police department, manager and commissioners were ok with putting inexperienced bow hunters in our open parks who for no other reason than wanted to try it out, then we have some very serious issues here. Like I said in another post, just because you can pass a proficiency test and obtain a license doesn't make you an experienced hunter. It's obvious they couldn't even make it past the "obtaining a license" phase...what more can I say?

Nick M.; December 22, 2014 at 3:23 PM
Lebo Citizens said...: 1:21 PM, there was never a formal vote taken. At the December 9 Commission Discussion Session, the police chief made his presentation. I remember Kelly Fraasch asking about voting on it and Dave Brumfield said that they will have a chance to look at it, but not to vote on it.

I am hearing lots of rumors as to how this archery program was shut down. Whether there is one individual who is responsible, or a group of individuals, please know that I am eternally grateful. Thank you.
Elaine; December 22, 2014 at 3:30 PM
Anonymous said...: 3:30 PM No ordinance, not even a resolution or a simple commission motion in a public meeting to authorize this "harvesting" misadventure ? Because Dumbfield said so ?

This place is reaching rock bottom.; December 22, 2014 at 3:48 PM
Anonymous said...: Everyone please remember that the last cull was to be a federal USDA regulated cull using USDA trained and certified sharpshooters. Only problem was that the sharpshooters were not available when required, so the USDA sent USDA uncertified biologists who wandered around at night in pickup trucks with loaded rifles looking for deer. No one was arrested,reprimanded or fired.

So when the local pro-kill idiots next demand firearm culling, remind them that history tends to repeat itself in the bubble. No lessons learned here.; December 22, 2014 at 4:02 PM
Anonymous said...: I heard the suspension came about after long negotiations between the commission and deer counsel. He goes by the name of Buck Whitetail and is, by all accounts, a shrewd negotiator.; December 22, 2014 at 4:35 PM
Anonymous said...: There are a lot comments on this matter via FB MtL Magazine and a recent article on the PG
(http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2014/12/22/Mt-Lebanon-cancels-archery-deer-culling-population-licenses/stories/201412220174).

I live/work in MtL, walk daily, run, etc. and I am much to frequently driving. I haven't come close to hitting a deer -- ever. I drive like I might see a pedestrian or child at any point. This allows me to avoid deer as well. I drive respectfully, always, recognizing that people live, work, and play on these streets. These streets should be livable rather than dominated by cars.

Culling these deer will set back pedestrian safety, which is a serious problem already. Culling reinforces the idea that Mt Lebanon is a cut-through, where cars are the priority, and speed is desirable.; December 22, 2014 at 7:11 PM
Anonymous said...: In the past Mount Lebanon was a destination.; December 22, 2014 at 7:57 PM
Anonymous said...: Brumfield said we don't need a vote and the commission president didn't challenge him? How dumb is the commission president?

I bet fund raising for election to the commission in the 1st and 3rd ward just got tougher.; December 22, 2014 at 8:05 PM
Anonymous said...: 11:10 AM: your "ready fire aim" comment is offensive to the citizens of Lebo. Everyone knows it is "fire ready aim". Lebo always fires before they are ready; then they aim. Ooops yet again, Lebo. Ooops yet again.

:-); December 22, 2014 at 8:29 PM
Anonymous said...: So is there consensus that the "lack of available permit" story is false? There were about 900 when I looked around the end of November.

The "Deer Forecast" available on videotape from PGC for this season indicated very clearly that deer hunters should be out on the first day and active during the first two weeks of hunting to be successful. Based on prior years, this is the trend among hunters.

So I find it very hard to believe that there was a rush on Allegheny Co permits late in the season.

So can we chalk this up to the unavailability of skilled archers in the group of 20 muni employees?; December 22, 2014 at 11:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Thank goodness. With the conflicting information on our current deer population from surveys to car accidents, etc. the plans weren't really trustworthy. It doesn't make sense to put residents at risk and harm deer under the circumstances.

I live near one of the proposed hunting spots and have for years. Yes, they ate some of my plants and a bush, but to me that doesn't warrant the dangerous plans for an archery hunt. In fact, the plants are perennials and will be back in the spring.; December 23, 2014 at 12:58 AM
Anonymous said...: Not one of these "expert" municipal volunteers bought a hunting license on their own as a matter of course?
Or did they think that THIS YEAR they'd be exempt from needing one because the Queen opened up the Royal Forest for their private hunt?; December 23, 2014 at 3:46 AM