MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is holding two more online public hearings on deer hunting and the deer population.
The department switched to electronic instead of in-person hearings to encourage social distancing and to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
The hearings will be held on May 11 and May 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., through online Zoom meetings and conference calls. Information about what will be discussed is available on the department’s website and participants are encouraged to read it beforehand.
“The winter of 2020 was relatively easy for deer throughout Vermont,” Nick Fortin, the department’s deer biologist said in a written statement. “However, lingering effects of the more severe winter of 2019 will result in minimal population growth in most areas. Importantly, deer populations in several wildlife management units (WMUs) will continue to be above established population objectives and we are increasingly concerned about declining physical condition of deer in many areas.”
Comments and questions will be taken at the meetings but can also be emailed or called in to the department, which is taking comments until May 16.
People who want to participate in the meetings by cell phone or tablet should download the free Zoom Cloud Meeting app and enter the appropriate 9-digit meeting identification, the department said.
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Meeting information:
May 11 – Through computer: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83167838494, AND conference call: 929-436-2866, meeting ID: 831-6783-8494
May 12 – Through computer: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84013715841, AND conference call: 929-436-2866, meeting ID: 840-1371-5841
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