By Tim Persyn
The City Council introduced an ordinance at its June 19 meeting that would require anyone wanting to fire a gun in Saratoga to get a permit from the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department. This would close a loophole that allows city residents to obtain a "depredation permit" from the Department of Fish and Game if they wish to shoot deer on their private property.
The city attorney recommended to the council that the municipal code be amended to limit exclusively to the sheriff's department the authority to issue a permit or license to discharge a firearm in Saratoga. The proposed ordinance is scheduled for a second reading and adoption July 3.
If the ordinance passes, Fish and Game can still issue depredation permits to Saratoga residents. However, Saratogans will need to use means other than guns, such as trapping and removing, to carry out the permit.
Mayor Paul Jacobs said the council was surprised to hear that residents could obtain the Fish and Game permits. "We weren't pleased," said Councilmember Ann Marie Burger.
Jacobs commented, "If my neighbor can go out in the yard and shoot at deer, I would want to know."
Sheriff's Cmdr. Robert Wilson said that the depredation permits have not been a particular problem up to this point. He said Fish and Game notifies the sheriff's department whenever such a permit is issued.
Dennis McKiver, warden for Fish and Game, said depredation permits are for people who are experiencing property damage because of deer. He said the permits are granted only after specific steps have been taken and are not the first option for the department when they are helping someone deal with deer on private property.
He said that before such a permit is issued, an applicant would need to have the department examine the situation. The department would then make sure there is a safe shooting area before issuing the permit.
He explained that the department recommends alternative solutions like fencing before issuing a permit. And he added that the granting of such permits is common in agricultural regions but rare in areas such as Saratoga.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, June 26, 1996.
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