Residents spoke out at a Canfield Township meeting against Mill Creek MetroParks' plans to allow hunting of deer during hunting season in many of its parks in Mahoning County.
 
Three parks are located in Canfield township including the Metro Park Farms, Vickers and Sawmill Creek. 
 
"This is murder in the park, to kill docile, timid animals. I could cry. Scattering food to attract and kill them is evil. What kind of human does that? I think it's disgusting," Pearl Sinistro said.
 
Sinistro told trustees the deer come into her yard all year long, adding they are beautiful.
 
"We all benefit from nature and the beauty of Mill Creek parks. The damage is not created by the deer. The damage is created by the officials. We will continue asking for answers and seeking accountability," Sinistor added.
 
The folks protesting say unlike hunters across the state who are allowed to kill one buck and two does, these chosen for this hunt will be allowed to shoot many more including does just born this year.
 
"They are giving them one buck and seven does to hunt and they are going to allow them to hunt on those three different facilities they own," Mike Deabison said. 
 
"The park will pay them our tax dollars $400 to $1,000 per deer, plus pay $108 dollars to have their deer processed," Deabison added.
 
The folks here fear the deer when hunted will have no place to run but into nearby highways like US 224 and roads like State Route 46 and other township and city roads.
 
"The park is not liable for nothing that happens. It's the hunter, so if he shoots a deer and it runs out on State Route 46,  US 224 or Turner Road, you have to find the hunter that caused the accident. The park has nothing to do with it," Deabison emphasized.
 
The city of Youngstown laid down the law stating the parks board must follow Ohio law which restricts shooting in cities. 
 
Townships don't have state laws on their side to stop the hunts scheduled for this fall.
 
Those aiming to stop the MetroParks' plans say it's the parks job to use their tax dollars to preserve not destroy wildlife. 
 
The parks board has said in the past that the parks will be closed during the hunts and other safety precautions will be taken.
 
But that doesn't sit well with residents who remember how a stray bullet fired from someone in Canfield Township struck a six-year-old boy in his arm, while he and friends were tossing a football in the child's own yard.
 
 "I am gong to be 83. I never thought I would make it. Now I have to worry about my life. My life, that I'm going to get shot going into the park at any hours. No this is wrong. Killing the deer is completely wrong," Jerry Serbel said. 
 
Folks looking to shoot down the parks intend to take their concerns to Mahoning County Probate Judge Robert Rusu, who appoints members to the board they say has run amuck.
 
The parks board says the deer population is too great and needs to be reduced for the health of the deer and health of the park.
 
But folks who want the deer saved say the Executive Director of Mill Creek MetroParks Aaron Young hasn't let anyone look at the pictures, video or any evidence of the overpopulation of deer in the study taxpayers paid $30,000 for.