Warrenton OKs Nighttime Deer Hunts at Airport

Nov. 12—WARRENTON — The Port of Astoria got city approval for nighttime hunts to kill deer causing a danger to aircraft at the Astoria Regional Airport.

Gary Kobes, the airport manager, said the Port has 10 kill permits from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and more available if needed.

"I got a call from the Coast Guard about a week and a half, two weeks ago, that there were eight or 10 deer out on the runway one night, and went out the following night and, in about an hour's time, spotted nine or 10 deer," Kobes told the City Commission Tuesday.

Deer are considered dangerous to aircraft when inside a fence surrounding the runways. A Learjet from the Canadian military struck an elk in the early 2000s and caught fire. Everyone escaped, but the plane was destroyed, Kobes said. The Port has erected a fence and cattle guards on roadways around the airfield to keep animals out.

"I don't know whether the deer were inside the fence, and they multiplied over time, or they somehow found a way through, which is just as likely," Kobes said. "We've never seen any more than a couple out there at any one time, but apparently, with the sighting and my observation, the count is significantly high (and) we need to get it down."

Volunteers will begin hunting in the coming week at night with spotlights to avoid people on the Airport Dike Trail, Kobes said. The hunts could happen over several weeks, he said, and the meat will be distributed to food banks.

The City Commission also gave police permission to shut down the Airport Dike Trail during hunts and post signs to notify the public. Kobes said he will coordinate the hunts with Police Chief Mathew Workman, who said he expects a flood of calls in response to the gunfire.

The nighttime hunting will also help avoid bird hunters, who are allowed by state law within three specific areas in city limits using shotguns and steel pellets. Warrenton code also allows the discharge of firearms on private property with permission from the police.

"There's only a few places in town for you to have a range like some people do, (where) they build up a berm and it's done safely," Workman said. "Then yeah, you can do that within the city limits. We're kind of unique that way."

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