City of Pittsburgh Deer Management Program Resumes This Weekend with Expansion
in Additional Parks
PITTSBURGH — After a highly successful pilot season, the Department of Public Safety is expanding the city’s Deer Management Program for the upcoming 2024-2025 season.
The program is a partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with the goal of managing the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in city parks. The 2023-2024 pilot season included archery-controlled hunts in Frick and Riverview Parks; the expanded program will also take place in Schenley, Highland, and Emerald View Parks.
While deer are a normal part of the ecosystem, the unchecked and unmanaged deer population has caused increased incidents of vehicle-deer collisions, over-eating of native plant species, and loss of natural fear.
The USDA recommended that the city adopt an integrated approach to the management of white-tailed deer that included a controlled archery program. Other options, such as birth control and castration, are not legal in the state of Pennsylvania.
This summer, fifty Allegheny County archers were selected to participate in the program. They were required to undergo a thorough background check, wildlife violation check, and a rigorous archery accuracy test.
Notice signs have been posted in all five parks alerting park visitors when archery hunting is taking place. Park-goers are encouraged to stay on established trails, keep all dogs on a leash (as required by law), and to respect the space of authorized hunters.
Archery will take place in the parks on the following dates:
Saturday, September 21 – Saturday, December 14*
Thursday, December 26 – Saturday, January 25*
*Excluding all Sundays
Anyone observing a game violation is asked to report it by contacting the PA Game Commission at 724-238-9523.
For more information, please visit the Deer Management Program Engage PGH page here.
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