"In Springfield, in some areas, there are as many as 100 deer-- more than 100 deer -- per square mile. The state average for Missouri is 22 deer per square mile,” said Francis Skalicky, an educator for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

While the animals are beautiful, an influx of them in urban areas brings about a host of complications, including an "increase in deer-vehicle accidents, eating your garden vegetables, eating your shrubs, eating your trees, eating your plants," said Skalicky.

The problem has become so pervasive that citizens and neighborhood associations have contacted city council members asking for something be done.

"You could see his backyard, his fence and there were eight deer just on the other side of his fence from his yard,” said councilman Bob Stephens.

So city leaders are considering a plan that the Conservation Department is already using in other cities throughout the state: managed deer hunts.

Right now, the leaders are looking at two tracts of land where there would be a good-size buffer zone from any neighborhoods or highways. The first area is around the Veterans Cemetery near Lake Springfield and the second is in a wooded area off the western banks of the James River.

These controlled hunts would be done by skilled archery hunters.

"It's very safe. It's a close-range activity; you’re not in there with high powered rifles that shoot long distances,” said Skalicky.

Skalicky added controlled hunts are already being done in other cities including St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia.