PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

UPDATED: City Council on June 4 agreed to expand bow hunting to all five city parks this year to cull the deer population, as well as to consider adding sharpshooters for Frick and Riverview parks for night hunting only. Council approved a $99,000 contract with the U.S.  Department of Agriculture to manage the program, which would recruit and test 50 archers and another 50 as backups.

The City of Pittsburgh’s bow-hunting deer management program in Frick and Riverview parks has been deemed a “tremendous success” by Mayor Ed Gainey and may be expanded to Schenley, Emerald View and Highland parks in September.

Despite some initial pushback by the public about the pilot program, the city said there were no public safety incidents related to the hunting that took place between Sept. 30 to Jan. 27.

The aim of the controlled archery program was to stem the unchecked and unmanaged white-tail deer population that has caused increased vehicle-deer collisions, over-eating of native plant species and spread of lyme disease. According to a city report released Wednesday, during that time, 30 bow hunters killed 108 deer in Frick and Riverview parks, 59 of which were donated to local food banks, creating 9,440 meals.

“I’ve heard from residents from all across the city about their concerns with the growing number of deer and the impact they are having in our parks,” Gainey said in a press release. “Thanks to the hard work of our park rangers, and the collaboration with the USDA, this program was a tremendous success.”

The program was a partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and the United States Department of Agriculture. The city recruited 30 archers for the hunt who had to meet strict guidelines and pass accuracy tests.

According to a timeline in the report, hunting zones for all five parks — Schenley, Emerald View on Mount Washington, Highland, Frick and Riverview — are being created or revised. Lottery sign ups for hunters would begin May 1 and the archery program would begin September 2024.  

In the program, hunters are required to first harvest a doe to help meet the goal of culling the deer population. A doe reaches breeding age at 6 months and 98% of mature does can breed every year. Also, a doe can produce one to two fawns each year and occasionally triplets. Eighty-five percent of births are twins and triplets.