CAA: GA News, "Deer are turning up in record numbers on Midwest runways"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@cwnet.com>]

Friday, April 28, 2000

Deer are turning up in record numbers on Midwest runways
GA News


SUPERIOR, Wisconsin — More than five miles of 8-foot-high fence capped with
barbed wire will soon surround Richard Bong Memorial Airport (SUW) in
Superior to keep white-tailed deer off the runways.

According to aviation officials in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan, the
deer population is at near-record numbers and deer incursions onto runways
are on the rise.

The FAA approved the fence line at Superior and allocated discretionary
funds to pay for the project. Airport Manager Bill Amorde told the Flyer SUW
suffers from “a worst case scenario” for a several reasons. Located at the
head of Lake Superior, the city is a major terminal for grain that comes in
by rail and goes out by ship. Grain that’s spilled along the tracks near the
airport brings the deer to the neighborhood, as does the lush green grass on
the airport. A new runway that was built last year extends the airport into
surrounding wetlands — and prime deer habitat.

After six collisions involving aircraft and deer in 10 years, and a lot of
near-misses, Amorde got permission from the state Department of Natural
Resources (DNR) and the City of Superior to shoot deer on the airport.
Shooting 25 deer “didn’t seem to make a dent in the population,” Amorde
said, so he asked for permission to shoot another 100 animals. DNR gave its
approval but, under public pressure, the city balked and Amorde had to look
for another solution. The state had no funds for a fence, but Amorde was
able to obtain a grant from the FAA that will cover 90% of the $480,000
price tag. He said Congressman David Obey helped get the project underway,
and the FAA was quick to respond.

While Superior’s location may give it the worst deer-incursion problem in
the region, the situation is almost as bad elsewhere. Nearby Hayward
Municipal (HYR) and JFK Memorial (JFX) at Ashland have similar problem.
Officials at both airports are looking for funds to build their own deer
fences.

Runway incursions involving deer are also a big problem northeastern
Minnesota. The state’s Aeronautics Office has an ongoing fence program, and
several of the busiest general aviation airports in the region are
surrounded by 10-foot-high deer barriers.

In Michigan, deer are a problem at airports all over the state, according to
a project engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation. The usual
response is to build fences. Where there are large numbers of deer on
airport property, airport managers can apply to the DNR for permits to shoot
the deer — a solution that often draws fire from animal rights groups.

Based on an unscientific review of accident/incident reports on the
Internet, collisions between deer and airplanes happen all over the United
States. That’s not surprising, since the whitetail deer is by far the most
common big-game animal in the country. Nationwide, the most common method
for dealing with deer is to chase them off the runway with vehicles. Deer
adapt easily to urban and suburban areas. Control methods such as
noisemakers, fireworks and harassment work for a short time before the
animals grow accustomed to them.

More than half of all deer-aircraft collisions occur after dark, another 25%
at dusk. Most take place in the fall, especially in October and November,
though incidents have been reported year-round. In Wisconsin, the worst
months for deer-vehicle collisions are May, June and November.

On average, adult deer weigh 120 to 250 pounds. Some bucks can reach 400
pounds and can sprint up to 35 mph. In a collision, a deer can do
substantial damage to an airplane, even at low speeds. Of course, driving to
the airport is still more dangerous than flying: In Wisconsin alone, more
than 21,000 collisions between deer and motor vehicles were reported last
year. Six people were killed and another 841 were injured.

If it isn’t antlers in your windshield, it’s feathers. Michigan and
Wisconsin are located along major migratory routes for Canada geese, sand
hill cranes, and other unlicensed aerial traffic. In a fit of regulatory
creativity, a group of Michigan legislators tried in 1981 to discourage the
big birds from fouling Michigan’s airspace; they proposed a landing fee for
all Canada geese operating in the state. The idea was shot down in the state
Senate.


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