Airport requesting changes in city code to help manage wildlife

Smith Reynolds Airport and the City of Winston-Salem are accepting feedback on allowing trained personnel to use suppressed rifles to manage wildlife on airport property.

In recent years, the deer and turkey population has been increasing at Smith Reynolds Airport and it has become a major safety concern at the airport. County staff has been communicating with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services about the issue. Airport staff is requesting a change to the city code, which currently allows shotguns and archery to take wildlife, to also allow for USDA trained personnel to use suppressed rifles.

The request was submitted to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee and a presentation on the proposed change was made on April 8, 2019 and can be viewed here.

Anyone with concerns about this proposed change to address wildlife at the airport may contact Mark Davidson, Smith Reynolds Airport director, before July 31, 2019 at 336-767-6361 or mark.davidson@smithreynolds.org. You can also contact City Link by calling 311.

View the full letter regarding Wildlife Management – Request for Provision to City Code