Missouri’s Conservation Department is helping count deer in Cape Girardeau ahead of a special election next April on whether to allow bowhunting of deer in the southeast Missouri city.

Conservation officials are working on the survey with the Cape Girardeau Police Department and the biology department at Southeast Missouri State University.

The survey involves using a spotlight to sight deer on several nights through the end of February.

Data will be run through a program that estimates the density of deer in randomly selected areas of the city.  Results are expected in March.

Proponents say a hunt is needed to reduce a growing deer population that causes traffic accidents and harms landscape. Opponents say better methods exist to cull the Cape Girardeau herd.