Due to over-harvesting, the White-Tailed Deer population in our area was reduced to dangerous levels by the 1970s. To rescue the species from near extinction, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency embarked on a colossal undertaking to relocate deer to our area from West Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin.

These efforts were successful and today Sullivan County has grown from having virtually no White-Tailed Deer to a healthy population today.

“We often take for granted the sight of deer in our backyards, but not long ago, they were an exceptionally rare sight in East Tennessee,” said Tyler Wicks, chief ranger at Bays Mountain Park.

However, an abundance of deer in our region has led to other issues and problems for residents. Namely, keeping deer out of our gardens and avoiding them while driving through town.

Mime Barnes, a communications and outreach coordinator with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, offers this advice for residents hoping to keep deer out of their yards.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no way to truly wildlife-proof your yard unless you’re willing to go to some lengthy, costly extremes,” Barnes said. “Though there are steps you can take to minimize their presence.”

Some of these steps include planting deer-resistant plants, spraying foliage with deer repellent, removing bird feeders, erecting a garden fence, installing motion-activated sprinklers and using statues of owls or coyotes or playing music outside at night. And be sure to periodically move the sprinklers and statues because the deer will get used to them and avoid them in the future, Barnes said.

“Mixing all these things up to make wildlife uncomfortable in your yard is the best way to go,” Barnes said. “It takes effort to keep our yards in the condition we want them.”

Over the past six months, Petworks Animal Services has picked up more than 260 dead deer from the side of the road. Of animals commonly hit by motorists in the United States, deer ranks number one (an estimated 1.3 million collisions a year).

White-Tailed Deer are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk. Those are the times motorists should be most vigilant for deer, Barnes said.

“Follow the speed limit, use your headlights during those times and I would suggest motorists heed the deer crossing signs,” Barnes said. “If one deer crosses the road, then slow down. Deer tends to travel in family units.”

A final note about deer – if you come across a fawn in your yard, remember…the baby deer has not been abandoned.

“The mother hides them and only comes to them a couple of times a day to feed them,” Barnes said. “The best thing you can do is leave them alone, don’t keep watching and keep your dogs on a leash if deer are typically in your yard.”

Kingsport’s Communications Department is conducting a multi-part series this year on “Living with Nature,” which will highlight some of the animals found in our region (bears, deer, skunks, raccoons and snakes) and ways to protect you and your family if you encounter them – either in the wild or in your neighborhood.

The “Living with Nature” press releases can be found at www.kingsporttn.gov and on the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.

Membership has its privileges when it comes to the facilities within the City of Kingsport.

The cost of being a member to Bays Mountain Park, the Kingsport Aquatic Center and the Kingsport Senior Center will easily pay off in the long run and the benefits are well worth the price of admission.

You should consider joining today by using the ConnectKingsport app or by going to www.kingsporttn.gov and clicking the “CivicRec” link.

Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium is one of our nation’s largest city-owned parks with more than 200,000 visitors passing through its gates every year.

The 3,750-acre nature preserve is also one of Tennessee’s Top 50 Most Visited Attractions, offering 44 miles of hiking trails, a state-of-the-art planetarium, wildlife habitats, engaging exhibits, a 44-acre lake, ropes course with zip line and trails for mountain biking.

The park offers four different membership levels (Individual, Family, Supporting and Life) with each having its own benefits. All levels give you complimentary entrance to the park, passes for the Nature, Planetarium and Barge programs, invitations to special events and a subscription to the park’s quarterly newsletter.

For more information about Bays Mountain Park memberships, call 423-229-9447 or visit www.baysmountain.com.

The Kingsport Aquatic Center is our region’s premier water park and swimming facility featuring an Olympic-sized lap pool, indoor and outdoor warm water pools and kids play areas, a 900-foot-long lazy river, giant water slides and diving boards.

Summer is the season of swimming and now is the perfect time to purchase your season pass for the Kingsport Aquatic Center.

A season pass to the KAC entitles you to use the entire facility during the summer season, which opens daily beginning May 27 through July 30 and open weekends in August and September, weather permitting. You will also have early access to the park Monday through Saturday – 30 minutes before regular opening times.

Season pass prices are as follows:

Lil’ Splasher (Under 48”)	$100
Bigger Splasher (48″ and taller)	$125
Master Splasher (age 55+)	$100
Splash Pack (4-person household)	$250 ($15/extra person within same household)

To learn more about season pass and membership benefits, call 423-343-9758 or visit swimkingsport.com.

The Kingsport Senior Center is a community resource dedicated to enriching the lives of area seniors. The center has a main site at the Renaissance Center and a satellite location at the Lynn View Community Center.

Members can enjoy the billiards room, card room, exercise room, ceramics studio, lounge, gymnasiums, dining hall, computer lab and woodshop. A wide variety of classes, seminars and programs are held year-round at both facilities and members have free access to the Kingsport Aquatic Center pool from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on weekdays and 20% off any water aerobics classes.

A yearly membership costs only $25 for city residents, $45 for Sullivan County residents and $70 for all other counties.

For more information about the Kingsport Senior Center visit seniors.kingsporttn.gov.