Dunwoody neighbors on edge with deer hunting happening near their homes

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Dunwoody neighbors say they’re concerned about deer hunters descending on their subdivisions.

Louis Miele told Channel 2′s Mike Petchenik he found a wounded deer in his backyard on Thanksgiving.

“It had a gunshot to the stomach area,” he said. “Fortunately, we haven’t had any incident or reported incident of a projectile hitting the house or entering the house but I think it’s probably inevitable, you know.”

Last month, a homeowner’s surveillance camera captured another deer being shot on a front lawn off of Mt. Vernon Road.

“All of us are in the neighborhood are disgusted,” Miele told Petchenik.,

Monday night, several neighbors brought their concerns to the city council.

“I don’t feel safe on my street anymore, and I don’t feel safe for people in my community,” said one, who told council members she sees hunters daily near her home off Tilly Mill Road.

Police Chief Billy Grogan said the state has outlawed hunting with a gun in DeKalb County, so both documented deer shootings were illegal. But he said bow hunting is legal.

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“Hunting for deer is allowed 30 minutes before daylight until 30 minutes after dark on private property as long as the hunter has permission from the owner of the property,” he said.

While some council members signaled they’d like to find a way to outlaw bow hunting near residential homes, one homeowner suggested it wasn’t a good idea based on what happened in his Midwestern hometown.

“They attempted to ban bow hunting in the suburbs and within a few years the deer population exploded,” he said. “I would much rather have a deer population under control than see somebody lose a life because of a poor policy that’s enacted.”

City officials said any hunting is still illegal in Dunwoody’s public parks. Officials said they intend to discuss the issue with state lawmakers to see what, if any regulation, the city can enact on the local level.

Louis Miele told Petchenik there has to be a better, safer way.

“I think they should absolutely ban any hunting of deer in a residential area,” he said.

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