Joliet Junior College holds forum on deer population management

JOLIET – During a public forum on the need for deer population management at Joliet Junior College, several residents and faculty members raised concerns about the effects the hunting might have on campus.

JJC officials held the public forum Thursday to gather input on their plan to manage the growing deer population, which has caused more than $20,000 in crop damage to the 100-acre land lab, among other damages and safety concerns, college officials said.

An aerial count conducted in 2010 showed there were 120 deer on campus grounds and college officials estimate this population has tripled.

Besides crop damage and vehicle accidents – of which there have been eight involving deer since 2010 – there also is the potential for the spread of a fatal neurological disease among the growing population.

Judy Mitchell, JJC vice president of administrative services, discussed several options for controlling the deer population, including the use of sharpshooters.

Under two Illinois Department of Natural Resource permits, one would allow only two hunters on campus and allow them to take deer carcasses. The other permit would allow hunting in the late fall and winter season, limited hours for harvesting and require the carcasses donated to charity.

JJC officials have said an IDNR program would use sharpshooters in tree stands during off hours and weekends at the far northeast corner of campus.

Contraception also is an option but Mitchell said she learned from the Forest Preserve of Will County that when they considered their own deer culling program they found “it only reduced population by 2 to 6 percent annually.”

“We will continue to investigate all options before any decision is made,” Mitchell said.

Tammy Perkins, a JJC speech and theater assistant professor, said she was concerned about the sound of gunfire on campus. She said the deer population needs to be controlled but she would “love there to be some way other than shooting.”

Gisele Atterberry, a JJC fine arts professor also was concerned about the idea of gunfire on campus. She said community members and students come on campus throughout the week, early in the morning and at night.

JJC Police Chief Pete Comanda said the sharpshooters would use short-range firearms and not be firing in directions toward campus buildings.

Atterberry also recommended more signage and lights around campus and wondered if the campus could be completely closed during the hunting sessions. Comanda said that would be something JJC officials can look into.

“There’s a number of things that can be looked into,” he said.