Dear Neighbor,
Dave Hromco reported last Thursday, February 23, the death count was up to 169. This morning, Friday, March 2, Dave Hromco reported the death count is now at 198. We asked if they would be pursuing the entire targeted number of 300. He replied -- YES !
Our attorney submitted an Open Public Records request to Greg Miller, Solon's animal control officer, who conducted the deer population count. Never mind that he is on the payroll of the city of Solon and has no qualifications to conduct a count. Greg Miller did not have the guts to respond and sent our attorney a reply saying he had forwarded the request to the proper person.
Below are the questions (in blue) regarding the count that were submitted.
a) Dave Hromco's responses are below (in black)
b) Our Ph.D Wildlife Biologist's analysis is below that (in red).
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1)What methodology are you using?
The methodology that was used in recent deer counts in the City of Solon is a surface count.
That just means it wasn't and aerial count, what "surface" method was used.
2)Is it random or stratified?
The count was stratified in that the City's Animal Warden sectioned off sections of the City of Solon into about 15 to 20 sections (the actual number has varied depending on the year that it was performed). Each section is counted individually. A multiplier has been used in accordance with recommendations. The multiplier is 1.55.
If the number of sections varies from year to year how are you forming trends in changing areas? Who recommended the 1.55 mulitper and how was that number arrived at. It increases the count by 55%. Is this a correction factor for deer not counted and if so how do you know what you missed.
3)How do you account for double counting?
To limit double counting as much as possible the deer are counted between 7 AM and 11 AM. This is a time when the deer are less active and should be in their natural habitat. However, double counting is a possibility.
Shouldn't you count when deer are most active to give you a truer representation of the density.
4)How do you account for deer coming in and out of the neighborhoods and neighboring cities?
The answer to question 2 applies to this question as well.
5)What percent of the count is this?
We have not counted or calculated the number of deer that may also immigrate from or emigrate to other neighboring communities.
So Solon is willing to fund at least partially the culling of surrounding communities.
6)What is the standard error and confidence interval for your count?
No standard error or confidence interval has been calculated for these counts
How do you know if there are any statistically significant differences from year to year or any time frame for that matter.
7)What is your formal training of those conducting the counts?
There is no formal training that personnel received.
no comment the response from the town speaks for itself.
No record of a worksheet for the 2010 count exists in our files. So they do not keep historical data?
Please note that counts for 2004 and 2005 were done by aerial survey. All other counts were performed in accordance with the information in this "e" mail. It appears that they are managing for MSY maximum sustanable yeild which means this will be a problem for an indefinite time period. Look the term up on the internet. It is about 1/2 the carrying capacity of the landscape.
The summation here is that Solon has simply rubber stamped the deer mismanagement plan and continue to squander our tax dollars on a failed plan rather than implement long-term, science-based, proven solutions. Experts on non-lethal alternatives contacted councilman Russo, chair of the Safety Committee, but he ignored and rejected them opting to continue to waste money and endanger the residents.
Bow hunting will be added to the mix next year. UNLESS, we the residents speak up and stop it.
Bow hunting will be added to the mix next year. UNLESS, we the residents speak up and stop it.
While modern technology marches on in all other aspects of life why does Solon still manage wildlife as we did in the horse and buggy days. Ask them why, when modern technology offers many non-lethal alternatives, they are choosing mass slaughter. Science calls into question the efficacy, ethics and economics of killing hundreds of deer. In spite of science proving clear futility and counter-productiveness Solon decision makers continue to thwart contemporary solutions and conservation biology practices.
Thank you for your continued kindness and support.
SolonDeer.com
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