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Pittsburgh expanding deer culling program to more parks

Pittsburgh expanding deer culling program to more parks
Pittsburgh expanding deer culling program to more parks 02:44

Pittsburgh is expanding its deer culling program to several more parks in an attempt to get the population under control.

Since 2023, the city of Pittsburgh has hired archers to kill deer during specific time periods throughout the year. Last year, 199 deer were taken out. But the city says the deer population is "still uncontrolled." So this year the city is looking for 65 more archers and expanding to other parks. 

"When we're talking overpopulation, you can see it in our trails, when you look at the native vegetation. The deer have completely depleted our native plant life," said Pittsburgh public information officer Eliza Durham.

An increase in car and deer collisions is also a problem. Last year, Schenley, Emerald View, Highland, Frick and Riverview parks had hunters. This year, four more are being added: Hays Woods, Hazelwood Greenway, South Side Park and Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway.

The deer have no natural predators to naturally reduce the population, so the archers are being brought in again this year.

"(The deer are) now resorting to, which homeowners might notice, going into people's gardens," Durham. 

This year's archery program begins on Sept. 20. But you only have until Sunday . 

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