http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2178742
The deer hunter panned by critics
Posted By DAVID NESSETH
Updated 11 hours ago
A 28-year-old city man hasn't won any points with his west-end neighbours after he strung a large, dead deer by the neck from a tree in his front yard.
During the deer's third day suspended by rope face-on in the urban residential neighbourhood, seniors and children walked past the house in disbelief, watching as the owners' dogs poked their noses around the hanging carcass.
"We're not very happy about it," said Audrey Lummis, who runs a day care out of her home across the street. "My daughter saw it. She said it's gross."
Jonathan McCourt, who lives on the corner of Wallrich and Edythe Avenues, strung the deer up Friday on a branch in plain view, just steps from the road.
McCourt's been a hunter for 15 years, and plans to eat the deer, but says this particular animal was hit by a vehicle on Highway 138 last week. McCourt put the deer "out of its misery", he said, took it home, then strung it up.
"It's my right as a hunter and property owner," said McCourt, who had a decapitated head from another deer next to the front door of his home.
McCourt said when he put the dead deer up, he expected some neighbours might not approve, and at least one neighbour has since approached him to express his displeasure.
But McCourt added that it's his property, and that he would do it all again.
McCourt noted that he usually ages and tenders his deer meat at his grandmother's home in Moose Creek. He said he was short on time Friday, so he used the front yard instead.
"I have no backyard and my shed is full,"McCourt said.
He has no children, but McCourt noted his girlfriend isn't bothered by the dead deer.
"I do plan to move to the country," said McCourt, who moved to the west-end in the spring. "Then I won't have to deal with things like this."
Neighbours like Jim Campbell said they have nothing against hunting, but feel McCourt failed to use discretion when he hanged the deer in plain view.
"There's a time and a place for everything," Campbell said. "If I was a deer hunter, I wouldn't hang it on display like that. Not in full view, where kids are walking up the street."
Other neighbours, like Nickey Keill, were concerned not only about the "grotesque" image of a dead deer hanging from a tree, but that the carcass would attract other animals.
Keill was so upset by the hanging deer, she called local police, city bylaw, and the Ministry of Natural Resources, all in the hope of having it removed.
Barry Coleman, city bylaw enforcement supervisor, sent staff out to examine the issue Monday afternoon, but the deer had already been removed.
"We haven't heard about something like this for a long time," Coleman said. "Sometimes these things aren't black and white (in terms of bylaws). We can push and sometimes people co-operate."
McCourt had said he planned to take the deer to the butcher Monday. By mid-afternoon it was gone, but the decapitated head from another deer remained.
Article ID# 2178742
The deer hunter panned by critics
Posted By DAVID NESSETH
Updated 11 hours ago
A 28-year-old city man hasn't won any points with his west-end neighbours after he strung a large, dead deer by the neck from a tree in his front yard.
During the deer's third day suspended by rope face-on in the urban residential neighbourhood, seniors and children walked past the house in disbelief, watching as the owners' dogs poked their noses around the hanging carcass.
"We're not very happy about it," said Audrey Lummis, who runs a day care out of her home across the street. "My daughter saw it. She said it's gross."
Jonathan McCourt, who lives on the corner of Wallrich and Edythe Avenues, strung the deer up Friday on a branch in plain view, just steps from the road.
McCourt's been a hunter for 15 years, and plans to eat the deer, but says this particular animal was hit by a vehicle on Highway 138 last week. McCourt put the deer "out of its misery", he said, took it home, then strung it up.
"It's my right as a hunter and property owner," said McCourt, who had a decapitated head from another deer next to the front door of his home.
McCourt said when he put the dead deer up, he expected some neighbours might not approve, and at least one neighbour has since approached him to express his displeasure.
But McCourt added that it's his property, and that he would do it all again.
McCourt noted that he usually ages and tenders his deer meat at his grandmother's home in Moose Creek. He said he was short on time Friday, so he used the front yard instead.
"I have no backyard and my shed is full,"McCourt said.
He has no children, but McCourt noted his girlfriend isn't bothered by the dead deer.
"I do plan to move to the country," said McCourt, who moved to the west-end in the spring. "Then I won't have to deal with things like this."
Neighbours like Jim Campbell said they have nothing against hunting, but feel McCourt failed to use discretion when he hanged the deer in plain view.
"There's a time and a place for everything," Campbell said. "If I was a deer hunter, I wouldn't hang it on display like that. Not in full view, where kids are walking up the street."
Other neighbours, like Nickey Keill, were concerned not only about the "grotesque" image of a dead deer hanging from a tree, but that the carcass would attract other animals.
Keill was so upset by the hanging deer, she called local police, city bylaw, and the Ministry of Natural Resources, all in the hope of having it removed.
Barry Coleman, city bylaw enforcement supervisor, sent staff out to examine the issue Monday afternoon, but the deer had already been removed.
"We haven't heard about something like this for a long time," Coleman said. "Sometimes these things aren't black and white (in terms of bylaws). We can push and sometimes people co-operate."
McCourt had said he planned to take the deer to the butcher Monday. By mid-afternoon it was gone, but the decapitated head from another deer remained.
Article ID# 2178742
