JULY 23, 2014

During a discussion with JIA Executive Director Jones Hooks represenatives of The Citizens for the Humane Treatment of Animals on Jekyll Island, were provided the memo below, which was sent to the JIA board by Chairman Richard Royal explaining that the July 21 vote by the board to accept the JIA Deer Management Committee’s report does not begin the implementation of the report’s recommendation regarding the use of federal sharpshooters to reduce the island’s deer population. Chairman Royal has asked the board to give further thought to the committee’s recommendation on deer population management, adding that a vote regarding this issue will be taken by the full board at a future public meeting.

Various media outlets have reported that, at Monday’s board meeting, the JIA had approved the use of sharpshooters from the Wildlife Services federal agency to kill a percentage of Jekyll’s deer herd. Chairman Royal has now clarified that a final decision has not yet been made on the proposed deer kill program.