photo by: Photo by Shelley Hanson

A deer looks at a passing vehicle at Oglebay Park.

WHEELING — Oglebay CEO Bob Peckenpaugh said management has received “significant feedback” from the Wheeling community regarding Oglebay’s planned urban deer hunt. He explained that they have seen residents support “what they are trying to do responsibly” alongside those “that have a difference in opinion.”

Acknowledging that they have heard “several community members” allude to efforts of boycotting Oglebayfest in response to the culling, Peckenpaugh said he has not heard of any concrete plans.

He added that Oglebay has “exhausted all options” regarding the deer population at the park and believes they have “chosen the most appropriate course of action to thin the herd.”

The deer hunt will take place Nov. 6-8 at the park in an effort to curb the park’s growing deer population. According to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, the deer population at Oglebay Resort is five times the optimal amount per square mile for the region, presenting a safety concern for both resort guests and the deer herd.

Teresa Toriseva with Toriseva Law has been one of the outspoken voices in the community against the culling.

Her firm has sent two Freedom of Information Act requests to R. Gregory McDermott, the Wheeling Park Commission chairman, and Brett McMillion, Director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

These requests ask for information surrounding the hunt, including the safety contracts made by Oglebay concerning public safety during the event, names and applications of the hunters and feeding protocols for white deer at the park.

“The community is outraged and wants Oglebay to follow the law,” said Toriseva. “Oglebay has misrepresented details of the hunt and used marketing as science.”

While the culling’s purpose is to address safety concerns regarding the high deer population at Oglebay, cries across the valley against the deer hunt have caused concern for vendors at Oglebayfest. Sellers are worried their bottom line may be affected by the outrage.

Betsy Helmick, who will have two booths this year as Zeb’s Barky Bites and Friendly City Freeze Dried, said Oglebayfest is important for her family businesses as the event is the “biggest single amount of money” they bring in during “such a short time.”

Helmick explained that the population most affected by any protest or boycott would be vendors, who apply and begin preparing for the event in May.

“Our fees have been paid, and we’ve been stocking goods for many months just to have enough things in supply to sell at Oglebayfest,” said Helmick. “If it’s not sold there, where will we sell it?”

Adam Bedway, co-owner of East Wheeling Clayworks, who has been a vendor at the event since 2018, says Oglebayfest serves as a “good bit of payroll” for their staff of six. He added the event gives their business a “good push into the holiday.”

While Bedway views the culling as an “inhumane way” of dealing with the overpopulation of deer, he believes protesting Oglebayfest is the “worst way” to speak out against the deer hunt. He believes those angered by the culling should find a different way to protest as a boycott of the festival “is not going to affect Oglebay that much.”

Peckenpaugh echoed this, urging that anyone considering a protest of Oglebayfest in response to the Urban Deer Hunt to reconsider, as “the two are separate distinct events with different missions.”

“Oglebayfest is an annual celebration for our guests and the greater community, which we look forward to each year,” said Peckenpaugh. “Our team brings local Northern Panhandle vendors and artisans in to share their works and enjoy the fall season.”

To protest without hurting vendors, Bedway recommended instead boycotting the Friday- and Saturday-night German-style beer garden that will take place at Hess Shelter.

Bedway added that instead of focusing the protests on the single weekend of Oglebayfest, naysayers of the culling should make a “serious point” to higher-ups at Oglebay by no longer taking part in activities available all year at the resort, such as golfing.

“There are definitely better outlets than what will basically be a boycott of small businesses,” said Bedway. “I understand the importance of protesting and the impact it can have, but we need to see the other side of the coin.”

Bedway encouraged those who disagree with the culling to reach out to Oglebay’s Board of Directors directly to express their concerns.

“Oglebay welcomes further conversations on how we can make the park a safer place for the community, guests, and ecosystem and we welcome the ongoing dialogue,” said Peckenpaugh on whether Oglebay is accepting feedback from the general public on the event.

Peckenpaugh added that “after careful consideration with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources,” Oglebay believes the deer hunt is “the best method to create a balanced ecosystem for the Wheeling community and our guests.”

“We feel at this time that we must go forward with the event,” said Peckenpaugh. “Other options have been exhausted and proven impossible due to state law.”

Toriseva believes Oglebay has not examined other methods that would “suit the park’s relationship to the community.”

“Instead of looking for non-lethal alternatives, Oglebay is spending $41,000 on a public relations firm from Charleston to handle the bad press,” said Toriseva. “Other options were not seriously investigated.”

Toriseva believes Oglebay must first “stop the persistent, illegal hand feeding of wildlife in a public park and then do an actual scientific study” before coming up with a plan “that isn’t based on PR spin.”

Toriseva believes the event will “forever change the nature of Oglebay Park, adding that the culling “won’t solve the problem,”

Despite the opposition, Peckenpaugh said Oglebay still believes the event is the “best course of action.” He explained the Wheeling Park Commission has sought a solution to the concerns with the rising deer population “for the past several years.”

After consulting with the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, WVU Extension Service and other experts, Peckenpaugh said they were advised that the culling would be “the best method to resolve this issue by rebalancing Oglebay’s ecosystem.”

With the urban deer hunt, Peckenpaugh explained Oglebay wants to promote “a healthier ecosystem, reduce human-deer conflicts and ensure the sustainability of our community for the long-term.”

“At this time, we plan to host this small but needed event for the benefit of all involved,” said Peckenpaugh.