Deer Problem Worsens

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BEDFORD—Many of us have at least seen killed deer carcasses by the road as we drive by, and some have had the unfortunate luck of hitting a deer.

Well, the deer over population problem seems to be getting worse. Just this morning an employee at the Bedford's Grissom Airport reported counting a herd of 24 deer on the airport grounds. It wasn't amusing for a pilot and his passenger in a Piper Cherokee that was trying to land at the Bedford Airport recently.

The single engine plane was about to touch down, when a number of deer crossed the runway ahead of the aircraft. Unfortunately, a straggler in the herd crossed the pavement just as the plane reached the same point. The pilot yanked back on his controls and was able to partially lift the plane over the deer, but the deer still contacted the landing gear and the wing of the plane instantly killing the deer and doing several thousand dollars damage to the plane.

Airport officals have been aware of the deer problem, and have petitioned the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for a permit to remove the deer from the airport property. The DNR has refused to permit the airport officials to do anything to eliminate the deer problem.

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