Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 | Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com
Cull of the wild
IDS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NOBLE GUYON AND ANNIE AGUIAR | IDS
Deer culling has been a controversial topic in the Monroe County area. This year, 62 deer were culled from the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve by the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.
The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department announced Thursday the deer cull has ended, removing 62 deer from Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. But will it be enough? By Jordan Guskey jguskey@umail.iu.edu | @JordanGuskey
This winter had to be different. At least, that’s what Bloomington’s Board of Park Commissioners hoped. Its members, and others in favor of a second deer cull — the first ended without the death of a single deer — at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve talked about their plan with an air of confidence in the lead up to this winter’s attempt. That confidence was undermined at times by an understanding that back-to-back failures would make champions of active deer management look foolish. But the three years between attempts had allowed for more studies to be done. Those studies provided further evidence, which proponents of another deer cull said supported the long-held belief that the area’s white-tailed deer population had grown too great and was negatively affecting the environment. Heavily browsed areas were found to have less plant and animal di-
versity and provide invasive plant species that deer don’t find palatable opportunities to establish themselves. “If in fact there are deer at Griffy, then this approach will, I think, give us a chance to restore the health of the overall ecosystem,” board member Joe Hoffmann said at a public meeting this fall. History did not repeat itself. The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department announced Thursday the deer cull had been completed and the wildlife management contractor brought in — White Buffalo, Inc., the same contractor used for the first attempt — removed 62 deer. “We’re pleased,” Paula McDevitt, a department administrator, told the Indiana Daily Student. But while the parks department may call it a favorable number, thinning a herd by 62 when the original population wasn’t known adds another layer to the debate on how
Bloomington should handle the area’s deer population. A city divided It was close to a decade ago that petitions signed by more than 500 people prompted the formation of the Joint City of Bloomington-Monroe County Deer Task Force, which started its work in September 2010. Citizens wanted the city and county governments to do something about the deer, and the task force could provide local officials with guidance as they faced a divided community.
“We would love to know how many deer are out on the nature preserve, but it is not considered to be as important as the effects on the vegetation.” Steve Cotter, Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department natural resources manager
The task force issued a report two years later and recommended the city use a sharpshooting effort to decrease the deer population at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. A parks department official said this past August that White Buffalo was contracted to carry out the sharpshooting effort for both culls because it had a “flawless safety record” and would be more humane than other lethal options. The group cited concerns for the environment, which would be echoed this past fall, and the ever-increasing appearance of deer in and around urban areas of Bloomington. A managed hunt was suggested if sharpshooting was not feasible, as were other lethal and nonlethal options. Passionate debate continued after the report’s release. Bloomington City Council approved an ordinance in April 2014 that would allow the SEE DEER, PAGE 4
MEN’S BASKETBALL
IU executes late to pick up road win By Jake Thomer jjthomer@imail.iu.edu @jakethethomer
The odds seemed stacked against IU in Minnesota on Saturday. With senior forward Collin Hartman and sophomore forward De’Ron Davis out, the Hoosiers faced a tall task against the Golden Gophers. Senior guard Robert Johnson stepped up to deliver a career-high 28 points, and IU Coach Archie Miller deftly handled his undermanned lineup as the Hoosiers (9-7, 2-2 in the Big Ten) picked up their first road win of the season with a 75-71 victory. “I can’t say enough about the response and also looking each other in the eyes coming off Wisconsin and coming up here a little shorthanded,” Miller said on his postgame radio show. “There was an attack mode about us.” Davis, a regular starter, was ruled out indefinitely with a lower leg injury Friday. Right before tipoff, it was announced that Hartman had a minor shoulder injury. This allowed freshman Justin Smith to earn his second start of his career in the frontcourt, and he delivered as part of a trio of productive Hoosiers.
BOBBY GODDIN | IDS
Senior guard Robert Johnson dribbles the ball against Tennessee Tech on Dec. 21 in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Johnson led IU in scoring during Saturday's win at Minnesota.
Smith scored IU’s first five points of the game and helped the Hoosiers jump out to an early lead, but Minnesota scored the last eight points of the first half to cut the Hoosier lead to 32-31 at the halfway point. In the game’s first 20 minutes, Johnson, Smith and junior forward Juwan Morgan had 25 of IU’s 32 points. It was a sign of things to come. Even after Minnesota came out with a 13-6 run to start the second half, IU was able to buckle down and rely on its three key contributors. “The team’s going to make an adjustment, especially at home,” Miller said on his radio show. “(Minnesota) did
that, but our guys again were able to have some resolve.” Johnson in particular turned his shooting performance around and made seven of his 11 second-half attempts from the floor. The Golden Gophers were without two of their three leading rebounders in sophomore guard Amir Coffey and senior center Reggie Lynch, and the Hoosiers were able to take advantage. IU out-rebounded Minnesota 45-35 and scored 17 second chance points thanks to 17 offensive rebounds. Morgan’s 12 boards and senior forward Freddie McSwain’s eight rebounds provided a boost for IU in that
category. “We were able to get second shots tonight, which was really big,” Miller said. “It was something we didn’t get at Wisconsin.” The game hung in the balance for most of the second half, but IU was able to hold Minnesota without a field goal for nearly four consecutive minutes to end the game. The Hoosiers stretched the lead out to a more comfortable margin in the final minute thanks to free throws from Morgan and Johnson. When it was all said and done, Morgan, Johnson and Smith combined for 68 of IU’s 75 points. Guards sophomore Devonte Green and senior Josh Newkirk couldn’t deliver much, but Miller was content riding his productive players through the end of the victory. With two Big Ten home games waiting on the schedule next week, Miller will hope to see some more of the same finishing ability his Hoosiers flashed Saturday. The coach said he was impressed with the 13-4 run that IU went on to end the game. “That’s a pride thing right there,” Miller said. “That’s a big step for our team to be able to finish the game.”
KATELYN ROWE| IDS
Yadira Correa and Caitlan Taylor speak to each other on Oct. 26, 2016, during a dress rehearsal for Cardinal Stage Company’s presentation of “The Merchant of Venice”. The Cardinal Stage is switching their musical to be more sensitive about the sexual harassment conversation.
Sexual harassment discussion prompts stage lineup change By Christine Fernando ctfernan@indiana.edu | @christinetfern
Three women stage a workplace coup to overthrow their sexist boss in a series of triumphs and comedic misadventures in the show “9 to 5: The Musical,” but Kate Galvin, Cardinal Stage Company artistic director, is not laughing. Cardinal Stage Company announced Thursday it will be switching out its summer musical in order to be sensitive toward the ongoing national conversation about sexual harassment in the workplace,
marketing manager Rachel Glago said. Galvin said the company’s new summer musical will be “Fun Home,” instead of the original “9 to 5: The Musical.” She said she thought it would be insensitive to produce “9 to 5” because it approaches sexual harassment in a comedic way. “Right now, I’m having a hard time laughing about a lecherous boss,” Galvin said. “In my opinion, ‘9 to 5’ loses its value as musical comedy if SEE CARDINAL, PAGE 4
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