NORTH MANKATO — The North Mankato City Council unanimously approved the authorization of continued deer removal efforts in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA-APHIS, approving the removal of up to 20 deer during the fall and winter of 2025.
Discussed Tuesday’s council meeting, the resolution follows the city’s adoption of a formal Deer Management Plan and Policy in 2024. That plan, developed in coordination with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and community input, outlines goals for managing deer-related nuisances, including vehicle collisions, property damage and threats to public safety.
In 2024, the city partnered with USDA-APHIS to remove 15 deer. That effort cost approximately $5,000 and included baiting deer to target areas, dispatching the animals, collecting chronic wasting disease samples for the DNR and transporting carcasses to Fort Snelling for processing and meat donation, according to city planner Matt Lassonde.
Council members considered whether to continue working with USDA-APHIS or explore other removal options, including the possibility of using North Mankato Police Department personnel, though the inspection service said it could remove all 20 deer in a two day window for the same price as in 2024.
“We looked into doing this locally,” Lassonde said. “And using our police department to remove the deer. But when you start talking about staff, time, coordination, who’s going to process it at all — the costs start to build up.”
According to him, seven deer-vehicle collisions have been documented since Dec. 2024, and 16 citizen complaints were filed regarding large herds and property damage. Staff observed herds of up to 20 deer in some locations, and over-browsing of vegetation continues to be reported in bluff-side areas, especially along Lake Street and Lee Boulevard.
Based on public reports and field observations, staff determined that the criteria for expanding the removal from 15 to 20 deer had been met. An evaluation stated that a “significant number of complaints were received from the public documenting high populations of deer sighted” and the Minnesota DNR indicated it would approve a permit for this increased number.
North Mankato maintains roughly 502 acres of greenway considered suitable deer habitat, according to the policy document. According to the DNR, urban deer populations should be kept below 15 to 20 deer per square mile of deer habitat to avoid conflicts. Without active management, there are increased risks from deer-vehicle collisions, vegetation loss and disease transmission, per the policy.
While public opinion on deer management is mixed — with 43% of residents in a 2024 survey stating the current population is appropriate — city officials agreed that the removal aligns with the management plan’s long-term goals of balance, safety and sustainability.