Okotoks town council may amend a bylaw banning residents from feeding the deer roaming the community.
Having to develop such a bylaw is a waste of time and money because residents should use their common sense and not feed the animals.
Having deer wander through the Sheep River valley has been commonplace long before Okotoks was ever incorporated.
If anything, Okotoks is encroaching on the deer’s natural habitat, but residents are making matters worse by feeding the local wildlife.
The deer population is continuing to grow and they also continue to become more comfortable in an urban setting.
It was once rare to see deer migrate out of the valley, but now it is almost a daily occurrence to see deer anywhere in Okotoks from Cimarron to Crystal Ridge.
The deer are becoming more brave simply because Okotoks has become their own little Utopia — an abundance of food with little threat of being hunted by predators.
Okotoks town council would like to change the situation.
According to Coun. Ray Watrin some residents are going beyond the extreme to attract deer to Okotoks. He said some homeowners are even putting out bales of hay to ensure the deer can saddle right up to the buffet.
As a result, the deer population in Okotoks is expanding and so are the risks associated with that growth.
Watrin said the deer are becoming fearless and encounters with humans are inevitable and can be dangerous especially if a child is hurt by an aggressive deer.
Other communities in Alberta have had to take action due to deer population getting out of control including Waterton.
However, the biggest threat may not be the deer at all.
The deer are not the only wildlife following the food.
Over the last year the number of cougar sightings in the river valley within Okotoks’ town limits has increased at a surprising rate.
Certainly this can partially be attributed to the large deer population now calling Okotoks home.
Several times in the past eight months joggers and walkers along the pathways have spotted cougars in the valley.
Thankfully, none of the encounters have resulted in injuries or anything to cause an alarm. However, the more residents encourage interaction with the wildlife the more likely a confrontation.
The wildlife is one of the things special to Okotoks, but treat it like the zoo — enjoy the scenery but don’t feed the animals.
