Tuesday, March 02, 2004

WKYC TV

AKRON -- An effort to manage the deer population in area Metroparks is coming under fire.

An Illinois-based group opposed to the kill planted hidden cameras in the park. They say the video shows that the sharpshooters killing the deer are not using the most humane methods.

One picture shows a deer shot at a bait station clearly moving as workers attempt to remove it.

"If a dead animal's going to twitch, it's going to twitch. It's not going to react and what you got here is reaction and that means that the deer is still alive," said Steve Hindi.

A spokesperson for the Metroparks says they've seen the tape and are convinced the deer is in fact dead. They say the movements are the involuntary reflexes that are quite common in these situations.