SOLON, Ohio -- The debate on how the deer overpopulation should be handled continues in Solon, NewsChannel5 reported.

One resident said she has three teenagers who are drivers and wants sharpshooters used to thin the herd. There were 175 deer vs. car accidents last year in Solon, WEWS reported.

"If I have a choice between the deer and my kids, I'm going to choose my kids," she said.

SLIDESHOW: Sharpshooters Opposed

Another resident added: "I have the picture of the bloody deer in my driveway. This is what my kids come out and see in the morning, a carcass with blood and guts all over."

The meeting was organized by a group called Friends of Solon Deer who are opposed to the city's $500,000 plan to kill the deer with sharpshooters.

Some residents feel the city needs to find a better way to take care of the problem.

An activist wants to observe the sharpshooters.

"There's nothing wrong with having observers on site to make sure they're doing it the way they're contracted to do it, and doing it as humanely as possible," said Craig Sanders, of the Citizens for Humane Animal Practices.

A city official said hundreds of residents have volunteered their property for the sharpshooters to use.

Other Techniques

WEWS reported that Ohio doesn't allow for deer to be relocated to other portions of the state or for any type of contraceptives to be used to control the population.

Video

Captive Bolt Called Cruel

Other techniques used in some regions of the country to thin the deer population, however, are just as controversial.

Home video shows a technique called rocket netting and captive bolt being used. (See Video)

Opponents said those methods are cruel and unnecessary.

"We are on their property. They were here first," said Sharon Arslanian, a Solon resident. "They got a raw deal in my opinion. We left no green space for them."

Dave Kluzinger, of the Solon Public Works department, said the deer population has to be thinned.

"We have roughly tripled the population. That's unhealthy," said Kluzinger. "It is 60 percent right now as opposed to 20 percent, which would be a healthy level."