To provide information regarding deer herd management, and the laws regarding bowhunting in surrounding cities, as directed by the City Council.

On December 17, 2002, the Burbank City Council approved an amendment to the Burbank Municipal Code, Section 20-205, which prohibits discharging a bow and arrow within the City of Burbank, except at designated archery ranges. As a result of discussion by members of the City Council, the Police Department was directed to provide additional information prior to the second reading of the amendment.

Ms. Rebecca Barbosa of the Southcoast Region Wildlife Biologist was contacted for information because she is familiar with the Verdugo Mountains area of Los Angeles County, and receives deer "tag" information (location of kill, description of deer, etc). This "tag" information is required by law to be provided to the Department of Fish and Game after killing a deer during hunting season. Ms. Barbosa stated that no deer were killed in the Verdugo Mountains by bowhunting during the 2001 and 2002 hunting seasons.

Ms. Barbosa also conveyed that deer overpopulation is always a concern to the California Department of Fish and Game because it draws mountain lions into the Verdugo Moutains to prey on deer, but Burbank�s prohibition of bowhunting would not affect the overall Los Angeles County deer herd population because the Verdugo Mountains comprise only a small segment of the overall Los Angeles County deer habitat. She stated that thinning of the doe population is also a concern. If only buck deer are killed, the doe population will increase to the point where only does were left, ultimately creating a severe reproductive impact on the Verdugo Mountains deer herd. If no bucks are killed this concern is minimized.

In addition, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Foothill Division, the LA Sheriff�s Division (LASD) La Crescenta, and the police departments of Pasadena and Glendale were contacted to find out what restrictions, if any, exist pertaining to bowhunting in our neighboring Verdugo Mountain jurisdictions. The following are the results of that survey:

• The LAPD Foothill Station provides police services for the La Tuna Canyon segment of the Verdugo Mountains. It is illegal to hunt or discharge a bow and arrow at a location other than an archery range, within parks or recreational lands of Los Angeles (LAMC Section 63.44).
• The LASD La Crescenta Station provides police services to the unincorporated areas of LA County, La Crescenta and La Canada-Flintridge. The City of La Canada-Flintridge prohibits the discharge of a bow and arrow within City limits and prohibits hunting within the City limits (LCF MC 4.30.030 & 4.30.010). The County of Los Angeles does not prohibit bow hunting.
• The City of Pasadena prohibits hunting within the City limits and allows archery only at designated archery ranges (PMC 9.76.020 & 3.32.120).
• The City of Glendale prohibits the shooting of a bow and arrow without a permit issued by the Chief of Police (GMC 9.24.070).

It is recommended that the City Council approve the ammendment of BMC Section 20-205.

THOMAS HOEFEL

Chief of Police

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