Hawley Borough is a small town covering only six tenths of a square mile, surrounded by woods, nestled in a landscape like a bowl where two creeks and a river meet. It is home to 1,229 people, according to the 2020 Census, and an untold number of deer.

Most of the deer, however, are just passing through, stopping to munch here and there courtesy of residents’ shrubbery and gardens. Hudson Street resident Thomas Colbert, however, informed Hawley Borough Council on Jan. 8 that there is what appears to be a herd that is here to stay, and something needs to be done. He suggested deer culling.

Colbert contacted the Pennsylvania Game Commission to inquire about having certified sharpshooters come in and reduce the herd. After a long discussion, Borough Solicitor Christopher Weed said he would contact the Game Commission for information.

“To me there is a deer population in Hawley, they are eating everything, they are aggressive,” Colbert said, adding the deer make a mess defecating. “There are at least eight to 10 individuals that hang out right below Prospect Street, in the backyards there, that’s where they camp… All shrubs are eaten up to five feet.”

“I’d like the borough to do something about it,” Colbert said. He said the Game Commission referred him to the game warden, Kevin Moran. Colbert stated that Moran suggested looking at what the private communities of The Hideout and Wallenpaupack Lake Estates, in Wayne County, did about their deer problem.

“They cull their deer,” Colbert said, and shared what he learned about how to arrange it through the Game Commission. “He thought it was too small a problem to deal with,” Colbert said, of the game warden’s response.

Councilor Mike Dougherty asked, “To do what?”

“To shoot the deer,” Colbert replied.

“In town?!” Dougherty asked, incredulously.

Colbert stated that there is some expense involved, but it could be done. “If nothing else, I’d like to borough to complain to the Game Commission that the deer population is out of control. I’ve been there 30 years. I’d see three deer. Now I see eight, 10, sometimes up to 15,” Colbert said. “They are eating everything. I’ve seen them between the road and guard rail, cars are going by, sure enough they get hit. It’s a safety issue for drivers.”

Colbert added, “The deer learned they can be safe right in town and can keep multiplying.”

After the meeting, he commented that culling would be more humane than having the deer injured by a vehicle. He said that although they eat everything they can find, they don’t just leave but seem to stay put.

Police Chief Daniel Drake stated, “Unfortunately we see deer all the time, just moseying around.”

Colbert said he has tried fencing and spray. “You invest in all this greenery, and it just gets eaten by the deer,” he said. “I’ve talked to numerous people, and it’s a problem. These deer just raid their yards,” he continued. “I hoped that hunting season would take them down, but it didn’t really reduce the number at all.”

Weed commented, “My issue is with liability and the expense… I think there are those certain concerns and that balance between where we live in terms of wildlife on top of liability, etcetera.”

The solicitor noted that where they have culled deer, it also is meant to help the deer herd, who otherwise would not find enough to eat.

“I sympathize, because I know, they are eating my rhododendrons, that means they are coming right up to the porch,” councilor Elaine Herzog said. “[This] would be my concern, if we eliminate 10 deer this year, are 10 more going to come in?”

Weed said they need to hear from the Game Commission if there is enough room in Hawley to cull the deer. In larger communities, he said, the deer can be coaxed further away with bait.

“I don’t see much hope in changing it. I think it’s a problem that the Game Commission needs to be aware of. We have rights to be here too; animals are not the only ones,” Colbert said.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.