Just days after issuing a warning about deadly fences, conservation officers responded to yet another impaled deer.
A wrought iron fence with pointed pickets around a Westshore Estates property caused significant injuries to a deer trying to jump over it Jan. 4.
“It was on the fence briefly and freed itself,” CO Tanner Beck said. “It likely died because it had a pretty significant injury.”
While this was the first Beck had seen at this Westside Road location, the neighbour that called it in said she has seen this happen six other times.
The owner is aware, according to the neighbours.
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There is an easy adjustment to such fences, Beck said.
“Any of the spikes above the top bar, just cutting those off would be a quick fix,” Beck said, adding that owners could also put a two-by-six piece of wood on top of the spikes.
In Kelowna, wrought iron fences with pointed pickets rising above a horizontal rail are illegal, banned by a City of Kelowna bylaw.
But that’s not the case in Vernon.
“I have spoken to city planners and they are looking into proposing bylaws,” Beck said.
Whether there is a bylaw against such fences in your area or not, the Conservation Service urges property owners to reconsider such fences due to the impact on wildlife.
“It’s a fairly common call,” Beck said. “Especially in the winter.”
With snow on the ground, deer can’t get a good footing to jump, which is why these calls are more frequent this time of year.
“The injuries are almost always very significant,” Beck said.
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