Sharpshooters kill 62 deer at Bloomington nature preserve

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Officials in Bloomington say sharpshooters killed 62 deer during a hunt to reduce the herd size at a city nature preserve.

The city parks department says shooters from the wildlife management firm White Buffalo Inc. conducted the hunt at the Griffy Lake preserve between mid-December and last week. The parks board had agreed to pay the company $35,000 to kill up to 100 deer this winter.

The (Bloomington) Herald-Times reports the deer bodies were taken to a butcher and that the meat will be donated to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank.

Officials supporting the cull cited evidence showing an overabundance of deer is hurting plant growth within the 1,200-acre preserve on the city's north side. Some residents against the hunt questioned whether the area has a serious deer problem.

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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com