Should Paintball Guns Be Used to Scare Off Deer?

An Ohio councilman has proposed an alternative use for paintball guns–to control stray deer that wander onto private property, according to ABC News Cleveland. Avon Lake councilman David Kos is hoping to pass a proposal allowing residents to shoot deer with paintball guns as a creative solution to keep an overpopulation of deer out of places they are not wanted.

“It can safely remove a deer without approaching it, from a distance, and strike that deer with a force, not to kill it, but to get it off your property,” Kos said.

deer

Residents report sighting eight to ten and sometimes even twenty deer on their property each night that are not deterred by deer repellent or other methods. The overpopulation of deer are problematic mainly because they consume plants and shrubs from personal gardens.

Kos believes paintballs will not significantly injure the deer or damage any personal property caught in the crossfire. His proposal requires residents to apply for a paintball gun permit to shoot the deer.

“This will give the vast majority of the population of Avon Lake that does not have access to hire a bow hunter or use archery equipment the ability to safely remove that deer from their property,” Kos said.

Is this an innovative solution or is it a mistake to use paintball guns off the field? It may be safer for the animals because they are less likely to be injured or killed by a paintball than by archery equipment.

But will it really work? The town may just end up with and overpopulation of multi-colored deer. Another concern is that this solution may cause a desensitization to paintball guns and a relaxed attitude when using them. Not to mention, the risk of children or other people who could be accidentally caught in the crossfire.

Paintball guns are extremely safe when used with common sense and protective gear. Without masks and proper equipment, the risk of injury from paintball guns is much higher.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments.