Petition to stop proposed cull of Raymond Terrace deer population

Locals have also raised the issue of the timing of the planned cull. Seaham's Gail Thompson said her research showed that deer have their babies between November and January, right when the cull is proposed.

According to the federal government's department of sustainability, "deer mate during autumn with usually a single fawn born eight to nine months later".

"So pregnant mothers, or those that have just given birth, could be shot along with their babies, or their babies could be left to fend for themselves."

The decade-long issue of a growing wild deer problem was reignited last month when Port Stephens Council distributed a letter to residents living near Newline Road, advising them of its intention to cull the growing population by controlled shooting for fear of a road strike.

The council, which has collaborated with Hunter Water, Local Land Services, RSPCA and NSW police on the controversial issue, told the Examiner at the time that it would keep the community informed of the process along the way. Council also stated that "the work is not expected to begin until the new year".

In the meantime, an online petition is calling on the authorities to seek alternative options to culling that would prevent the deer from coming into contact with motorists.

"There is nothing humane about culling ... they are only a short term solution which require repeated slaughtering to ensure the deer numbers remain low," the petition states.

"Far better options are available to prevent the deer from potentially coming into contact with motorists. Cost effective solutions include educating the public, installing signs to warn motorists that deer are in the area and lowering the speed limit.

"Possibly the most effective technique to prevent vehicle and deer collisions is to install adequate fencing that will prevent the deer from coming into contact with the road and motorists."

ALSO READ: Battle rages over deer cull proposal in Raymond Terrace

Ms Thompson, a passionate supporter of saving the deer, believes that the council had been negligent in not erecting more signs warning motorists of the potential dangers.

"If the deer are such a concern for motorists, and apparently they were back in 2014, why has the council only ever put up one sign to warn motorists? Now the poor deer have to pay with their lives," she said, and questioned Hunter Water on their change of heart from 2014.

"A Hunter Water spokesman in 2014 stated that culling was not on the agenda. The spokesperson was quoted as saying that deer had existed there for many decades and a cull was not considered appropriate. Why not lower the speed limits, install speed humps, erect warning signs for motorists to take extra caution, or install fencing to minimise potential strikes," she said.

In response to the lack of more road warning signage, the council's Brock Lamont said that until mid-2019, deer were classified as a game animal and managed as a hunting resource by the state.

"With changes to the NSW Biosecurity Act and its relationship with the Game and Feral Animal Control Act, deer are now classified as a pest animal, and their control is a legal requirement for land owners. Signage was installed following traffic collisions and public complaints which increased in recent years."

A Hunter Water spokesperson said that its top priority was safety.

"We support Port Stephens Council's initiative to manage increasing deer numbers to lower the risk to our own team, motorists and members of the public and to protect the local environment. Wild deer were responsible for destroying a large number of trees that Hunter Water has planted across an area of 22.7 hectares at Irrawang Swamp. The tree planting helps to improve the health of our water catchments. Our employees have observed deer running at speed into fences and in front of cars, highlighting the risk of a vehicle strike."

The petition can be found at change.org/p/port-stephens-council-stop-the-deer-cull-in-raymond-terrace.

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