This Fall, Don’t Blame the Deer for Ticks in Joplin, MO

  

As autumn settles over Joplin, the woods come alive with color, and the leaf litter crunches underfoot. It’s the season of hikes, backyard bonfires, and long walks through tree-lined trails. But if you find a tick after brushing past fallen leaves or tangled debris, don’t rush to blame the deer.

 

Debunking the Lyme Disease Excuse: Why Joplin’s Urban Deer Harvest Doesn’t Hold Up

When the Joplin City Council approved the urban deer harvest ordinance, one of their loudest justifications was public health: reducing the risk of Lyme disease. But here’s the truth Joplin has no confirmed cases of Lyme disease. Not now, not in the past 20 years. According to 101 The Eagle’s regional report, the only Missouri counties with documented Lyme disease are Lewis, Clark, and Pike all in the northeastern corner of the state, far from Joplin.

So why are we killing deer in the name of a disease that doesn’t exist here?

The Science They Ignored

Let’s break down the biology:

Deer do not carry Lyme disease. They are not competent reservoirs for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme. Biology Insights explains this clearly deer may host ticks, but they do not infect them.

Ticks don’t get infected from deer. They get infected from small mammals like mice and shrews.

Deer don’t infect humans. Lyme disease is transmitted through the bite of an infected tick not through deer contact.

In fact, deer are more like highways for ticks than disease factories. Adult ticks feed and mate on deer, yes but deer don’t pass the bacteria to ticks, and they don’t show symptoms of Lyme disease themselves. Forbes also breaks this down, showing how deer tolerate the bacteria without becoming sick or infectious.

🧼 Grooming and Tick Removal

Here’s something else the ordinance ignores: deer groom each other. They remove ticks through mutual grooming. Natural behavior helps reduce tick loads without human intervention. And even if a tick drops off a deer, the odds of it crawling across a yard and biting a human are slim.

Real Risk Comes from Rodents

If Joplin officials were serious about Lyme disease prevention, they’d focus on:

Rodent control, since mice and chipmunks are the true reservoirs of Lyme

Public education on tick checks and repellents

Habitat management, not herd destruction

Instead, they’ve weaponized a misunderstood disease to justify a controversial ordinance.

 What’s Really Going On?

Let’s call it what it is: a public relations strategy, not a public health measure. By invoking Lyme disease, the city cloaks its deer culling in the language of safety and science without the data to back it up.

This isn’t just misleading. It’s dangerous. It erodes public trust, misinforms residents, and threatens the integrity of Joplin’s wildlife advocacy.

Here’s a strong, emotionally grounded disclaimer that honors your long-term stewardship and positions your voice with authority and clarity:

 Author’s Disclaimer: A Lifetime of Observation

Since 2004, I have been actively observing, photographing, and documenting a small sanctuary herd of whitetail deer in southwest Joplin, Missouri. This is not casual wildlife watching it is a longitudinal study shaped by daily patterns, seasonal shifts, and over two decades of firsthand data.

I was asked in 2010 by a city official to monitor this herd, let him know if it needed to be culled and while he may have retired, I never stopped watching. What began as a civic duty has become a once-in-a-lifetime study. I have witnessed behaviors, herd dynamics, and ecological interactions that few others have ever seen let alone recorded.

From grooming rituals and fawn development to sanctuary migration and urban adaptation, my documentation reflects a depth of understanding that qualifies me, without hesitation, as an expert in this specific herd and its habitat. These deer are not just subjects they are part of a living archive that continues to teach, challenge, and inspire.

Any claims made in this article are grounded in direct observation, photographic evidence, and years of pattern-based research.

Other related articles that you may like 

Controlled Hunt vs Chaos What Joplin Could  Have Done 

The Ethics of Youth BowHunting in Urban Zones

The Hunters Left Behind:What Joplin’s Bow Hunting Ordinance Missed

Fall Bowhunting & Field Dressing in Joplin: What the Ordinance Says

 

This fall, as the leaves shift from green to gold and cooler weather invites families outdoors, some residents may encounter more than autumn’s beauty. In certain neighborhoods, field-dressed deer legally left behind may appear just steps from residential homes.

This article examines Joplin’s urban bowhunting ordinance and its implications for field dressing within city limits: what’s permitted, what’s omitted, and what’s left for neighbors to witness and dispose of.

What the Ordinance Allows

In June 2025, the City of Joplin passed Ordinance 2025-083, legalizing urban bowhunting of deer on private properties of at least one acre. Requirements include:

Written permission from the landowner

Only one residence per acre

Hunting from a stand at least 10 feet off the ground

Compliance with Missouri’s archery season (September 15–January 15)

But what happens after the shot?

The ordinance permits field dressing within city limits, requiring only that it occur 100 feet from any property line. It does not mandate: Removal of Carcass disposal Sanitation protocols

In wooded neighborhoods especially those bordering greenbelts or undeveloped land this means harvest remnants may legally be left behind, visible from nearby homes and sidewalks.

 Location Matters: Joplin Is in a CWD Management Zone

Joplin is located in Jasper County, which is officially designated as part of Missouri’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone by the Missouri Department of Conservation. This designation means: The area is either within 10 miles of a confirmed CWD case or has had one directly. Special regulations apply, including carcass disposal protocols and restrictions on feeding deer. Hunters are expected to follow stricter containment and sanitation practices to prevent disease spread

Yet despite this designation, Ordinance 2025-083 does not include any language about CWD testing, containment, or carcass disposal. Field dressing is allowed within city limits, and harvest remnants may legally be left behind just 100 feet from property lines, even in residential neighborhoods.

This disconnect between state-level disease management and local ordinance enforcement raises serious concerns for public health, wildlife safety, and neighborhood well-being.

 What the Ordinance Says

“The purpose of this ordinance is to: Minimize deer/vehicle collisions.
Reduce damage to property caused by deer. Reduce the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease among the local deer population within City limits.”

While CWD is cited as a justification, the ordinance includes no provisions for testing, containment, or disposal of potentially infected deer. This omission leaves a critical gap in disease prevention and neighborhood protection.

 Why This Matters

• Scavenger Attraction: Coyotes, raccoons, and vultures are drawn to exposed harvest remnants, increasing wildlife activity near homes.
• CWD Risk: I read  at a government wildlife agency that “If your animal tests positive for CWD, do not eat meat from that animal. also advised avoiding contact with brain and spinal tissue and disposing of remains in sealed landfill bags or designated dumpsters."
• Emotional and Visual Impact: Residents may witness the aftermath of a harvest including visible harvest remnants without warning or recourse, especially in areas where hunting permission has been granted by neighbors.

This isn’t a critique of responsible hunting. It’s a call for clarity, containment, and community awareness.

 

 A Better Path: Managed Deer Hunts

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s Managed Deer Hunt Program offers a safer, more ethical alternative. These hunts: Take place in designated conservation areas Are overseen by trained officials Include carcass removal and disease monitoring Prioritize safety, containment, and community trust

 Disclaimer

This article supports responsible wildlife management. A controlled harvest conducted in designated wooded areas and overseen by Missouri Department of Conservation officials and local animal control would offer a far safer and more ethical alternative.

Joplin’s current ordinance, however, allows decentralized residential bowhunting with minimal oversight, creating what some describe as an unstructured approach to urban harvest. Without clear disposal requirements or enforcement protocols, the policy risks exposing neighborhoods to scavenger activity, emotional distress, and potential biohazards.

A citywide review of this ordinance with input from conservation experts, public health officials, and community members could help restore balance between wildlife management and residential safety.

Other articles found online that you may like

Can CWD Spread Through Reused Arrows? What Hunters Need to Know

Control Hunt vs Chaos What Joplin Could Have Done Instead 

The Ethics of Youth BowHunting in Urban Zones

The Hunters Left Behind:What Joplin’s Bow Hunting Ordinance Missed

Fear Over Facts: Why Joplin’s Deer Ordinance Misrepresents Lyme Disease

Autumn in Joplin 2025: When Sanctuary Faces New Risks

 

Autumn in Joplin is usually a season of quiet beauty crimson leaves drifting through cooler air, deer moving gently through the woods. But this year, that peace feels more fragile. A newly amended city ordinance now allows bowhunting on private land as small as one acre, and it’s already changing the tone of the season. What was once a time for reflection and coexistence may now invite conflict and unintended consequences.

From my bedroom window, I’ve watched generations of deer grow up in my wildflower garden fawns curled in clover, does grazing beneath the oak canopy. This land has long been a sanctuary, not just for wildlife, but for those of us who choose to live beside it with care. But under Joplin’s revised urban hunting ordinance, that sanctuary is now vulnerable.

Late season (end of July)  Fawn and Doe 

Understanding the Ordinance

The ordinance permits bowhunting on private property of at least one acre, with two key safety requirements:

• 60-foot buffer: No discharge of a bow within 60 feet of any dwelling, building, street, highway, park, or property line.
• Elevated shots: All shots must be taken from a stand at least 10 feet off the ground.

In practice, this means a neighbor just 60 feet away could legally hunt from a tree stand overlooking shared woods. From my dining room, I might witness the loss of deer who’ve trusted this land for decades of deer born in my garden, raised in peace. (or so this is what my neighbor believes is the new ordinance on bow hunting)

 Are the Deer a Nuisance?

No. What remains of the herd are four does, two young bucks, and four fawns gentle survivors who still move through the 29-acre woods beside my home. The older bucks didn’t return this spring. Their absence is felt deeply, and while the cause remains unclear, it’s part of a troubling pattern.

These deer are not pests. They are part of the ecosystem and the rhythm of this place. They deserve respect. Yet too often, they’re seen as sport or nuisance an attitude that undermines the spirit of coexistence we’ve worked hard to protect.

One local resident recently shared online that deer had damaged her rose garden. She hadn’t considered a simple fence. She didn’t want hunting just her flowers protected. This is the kind of peaceful solution the ordinance overlooks.

Unintended Consequences

While the ordinance claims to prioritize safety and population control, it may unintentionally encourage unsafe behavior. Online groups have begun identifying wooded zones near city limits, discussing hunting access in ways that raise concern. These aren’t vague rumors they reflect a growing pattern of interest in exploiting loosely enforced boundaries.

Our community has dealt with similar issues for years. We’ve reported unsafe activity, documented property damage, and advocated for stronger enforcement. But responses have often been delayed or dismissed, leaving residents feeling unheard.

Safety Concerns

This community has already endured incidents that highlight the risks of poorly regulated hunting:

• A family pet was injured due to a misdirected projectile.
• Property damage occurred from discharged projectile.
• Residents near wooded areas now worry about increased traffic and activity from outside hunters.

Allowing bow hunting within city limits may open the door to further complications especially if enforcement remains inconsistent.

 

Brother bucks showing off first season antlers 

 A Better Path Forward

Population control doesn’t require widespread hunting. It requires thoughtful management and community-based solutions:

• Install fencing to protect gardens and landscaping.
• Enforce speed limits on roads like Schifferdecker, where deer frequently cross.
• Add signage in high-crossing zones to alert drivers.
• If necessary, consider a controlled wildlife management program led by professionals with strict oversight and public transparency.

What We Stand to Lose

From September to January, residents who cherish wildlife may witness the decline of deer populations they’ve enjoyed for years. We’ll hear unfamiliar sounds in the night and feel the loss of trust between humans and animals, between neighbors and nature.

 

late season (August)  deer and fawn photo taken from dining room window  

 Read first article on this topic here 

Author's Note / Disclaimer
This article is intended for educational and advocacy purposes only. It reflects the author's personal perspective on urban wildlife management and public safety. No part of this content promotes illegal activity, violence, or harm toward animals or individuals. All references to local ordinances, safety concerns, and wildlife behavior are based on publicly available information and lived experience. Readers are encouraged to consult official city resources and conservation experts for guidance.

All writing and photographs in this article are original works by the author. Please respect creative ownership and do not reproduce without permission.