City of Galena Holds Annual Deer Count

The City of Galena conducted its annual deer count Tuesday, and the total represented a decrease from prior years. A total of 140 deer were counted. City Administrator Mark Moran said a city staff member and representatives from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources conducted the aerial count via helicopter. The city has held the count annually since 2018, with the exception of 2021, when it was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2018 count found 136 deer within city limits. In 2019, 211 of the animals were counted in the city, and in 2020, the number of deer within city limits was 200. Moran said the aerial count cost the city $1,200. This cost included fees for the helicopter and pilot, with the DNR providing a representative at no cost. Moran said he hopes to present a summary of the aerial count and this year’s deer hunting program to the City Council at its February 14th meeting.