Vuono: Kill 100 deer by archers AND 150 deer by sharp shooters UPDATED

Updated July 15, 2015 6:57 AM I changed the title to this post to demonstrate the venom my commissioner has toward deer. Linfante looks like Mary Poppins compared to Vuono. Coleen Vuono actually wanted to hire Wildlife Services, the bimbos from 2006-2008, to kill 150 deer by night AND, simultaneously hire DeNicola's White Buffalo to kill 100 deer by day. The last aerial survey showed 196 deer in and surrounding our six square miles. Commissioners also approved goats and guard mules for Bird Park.

I cannot believe what I heard tonight. I am still in shock, so let me start with what I said during Citizen Comments. 

I have been speaking against deer killing for ten years. I'm part of the Coalition for Coexistence because I am against violence. Firing weapons in our densely populated community is dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

Repeatedly, I have been asking about the sterilization permit application. Steve Feller had said that it was going to be resubmitted in April. When I asked again, Tony DeNicola had helped fill out the application form . The PA Game Commission representative, Jeanine Fleegle offered to help with the process at the June 22 meeting. Yes or No. Has it been resubmitted? [The answer was "NO."]

On the White Buffalo website, there is a nice photo of Jody Maddock. He is a project manager for Tony DeNicola. Maddock was billed as working at Bryn Athyn College. Nothing was ever mentioned that he was the founder of Whitetail Associates. We were never told that there was a connection between the two "experts." Then we find out that tonight, you folks may approve a proposal submitted by them. Was an RFP advertised? Yes or No. [The answer was "NO."] By the way, that proposal was never publicized. 

Asking the hunters to produce the deer's right jaw bone as proof of delivery is the most gruesome and revolting thought possible for many of us. What is this? Medieval times? 

Did you ever play the game, "Whack a Mole" at Chuck E. Cheese's? You bop one mole and then another one pops up somewhere else. That's the game I feel we're playing regarding the reasons to kill the deer. We've heard the gardens are being destroyed, there's too much deer poop, the car accidents involving deer are increasing, we have too many deer, counts don't matter, Lyme Disease, you're against sharp shooting and then you are for sharpshooting, the Ecosystem is being destroyed, birds are disappearing and my favorite, deer are scary. As soon as we debunk one issue, you're on to something else. 

So what is it really? Car accidents or gardens? If it is car accidents, why are you focusing on 9% of the total accidents? You're forgetting the other 91% of the car accidents. What happens if the number drops 50% before five years? When does the tally start? 2012? 2016? 

If it is NOT about gardens, why was there so much emphasis placed on "ongoing deer management" at a former commissioner's home last Sunday? I emailed you the notices she was passing out and I put them on my blog, Lebo Citizens. She had been quoted as saying, "Well the deer are going to die anyway." I love the Mt. Lebanon Public Library Garden Tour. I am a big supporter of the Library and have attended ALL 25 years of tours. It is a shame that it was used as a political platform to kill deer. This isn't the first time that has happened. A few years ago, the Gentlemen Gardeners did the same thing. If it isn't about gardens, then why does this happen repeatedly? 

I was fascinated by the goats and mule presentation and how they eat invasives. Deer love poison ivy and English Ivy. Goats are good. Deer are bad. Goat and donkey poop is acceptable. Deer poop is not. 

I am having an especially hard time writing those checks to pay my taxes. This was once a stellar community. Now Mt. Lebanon provides comic relief during the news.

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So you may have heard by now, three commissioners are now opting for "sharp shooting" AND archery. Dave and Kelly are still opposed to sharp shooting, but John "I'm against sharp shooting" Bendel is now right there with Coleen and Steve. If Coleen could have started sharp shooting tonight, it would not have been soon enough. Let me tell you, they aren't sharp shooters. We're not talking Navy SEALS. 

For those Lebo Citizen readers who were not here in 2006-2008, you don't know the fear of not knowing who is outside ready to shoot when you have to let your dog go out in the middle of the night. None of us know what it will be like to see archers in the daytime. For all those people tonight, well, I guess it was technically last night, who were afraid to have their kids play outside because of the deer, will now have to deal with seeing wounded deer, archers trailing deer, dying deer, and arrows covered in blood and fur. 

There were people tonight who actually said that they do not want to coexist. I don't know what else to say tonight except I am deeply disappointed in the commission and the blood thirsty residents who spoke this evening.

Update July 15, 2015 7:49 PM Mt. Lebanon residents to get choice in allowing bowhunting on properties to cull deer