ShawneeDispatch.com

Shawnee — A Shawnee police officer Sunday stumbled upon a scene that shouldn't be found anywhere in Shawnee.

Eric Thompson, community service officer, saw an open gate leading to private property near 43rd and Theden. He drove down the road to inspect and found evidence of something more common within city boundaries than some think - illegal hunting.

The officer found a dead deer lying with an arrow next to it, killed sometime within the previous 12 hours. A hunter's tree stand was in a nearby tree, next to a mineral lick. While it's not legal to hunt anywhere within the city without a special permit, the police suspect it happens fairly often, and it's something of which anyone planning to walk through the woods should be aware.

"We consistently have illegal hunting, especially in the western part of the city," said Capt. Ron Copeland.

It's the time of year when motorists should be on the lookout for more deer than usual crossing the roadways as the deer are in rut, or mating season, which usually lasts October through December. Copeland said he knows from experience, riding his horse through Shawnee Mission Park, how plentiful the deer are in the area.

"It's easy pickings," Copeland said. "They're just thick; I've never seen so many deer as there have been lately."

And in the more wooded, rural areas of the city, police have found evidence that hunters are trying to get away with hunting without a permit. Even for those who hit a deer with a car, a police officer must be called to euthanize the deer if necessary.

The only hunting allowed in Shawnee is under a deer control permit, which allows the hunter to use only a bow and arrow or crossbow. First, hunters must get a state hunting permit, and bring a copy to the city to apply for a city permit, which comes with a $50 fee.

The city permit is valid for 45 days and can only be issued between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31. It can only occur on a specified property, which must be zoned agricultural and must be at least 20 acres. Any deer killed can only be transported elsewhere if it is in a car, covered.

Stephen Powell, assistant city clerk, said the city has issued two permits so far this year, to the same people who received them last year. Up to five hunters can be listed on each permit.

Even with its large deer population, Shawnee Mission Park has found no evidence of illegal hunting within its boundaries.

"I'm sure there's a lot of people that would like to poach deer, but I haven't found any evidence yet," Capt. Terry Anderson of the park police, said.

Anderson said some people were reporting the use of arrows with "broad heads," used when hunting deer, at the park's archery range, where such arrows are not allowed. One person was cited for their use last week, and this promoted rumors that tree stands had been found within the park. However, Anderson said no deer stands had been found.

But controlled hunting within the three square miles of the park may be an option in the future. Grant Evans, the park's manager, said park authorities have been trying to monitor the large deer population for years, and it is at the point the something must be done, because the deer are damaging trees and other wildlife.

"There needs to be some kind of a harvest to get the numbers back down and back under control," Evans said. "We've explored some items on what method needs to happen, but haven't made a decision."

Options under study include a controlled hunt open to the public and bringing in a private group for a sharp-shooter harvest. Hunts have never been done in the park before; Missouri has allowed hunting in some parks to control the deer population, but hunting has not often been allowed in Kansas.

Evans said counts made from park roads by rangers and officials with Tomahawk Golf Course have found 221 deer, but Evans said there are certainly more, if there is just one deer that isn't seen for every one that is seen.

The park plans to hire a helicopter to fly over and do a deer count when the leaves are off the trees and there is at least four inches of snow on the ground. Evans said once all the information is gathered, the Johnson County Park and Recreation District Advisory Board will have to decide how to control the deer population.