Mahoning County Commissioners held a meeting between Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Mill Creek MetroPark officials, City of Youngstown officials and concerned citizens to clarify the plans to thin the deer population. 

Aaron Young, Executive Director of Mill Creek MetroParks said at the meeting there will be no hunting of deer in the Youngstown portion of the park. Previously, the city of Youngstown spoke out and said city ordinances prohibit hunting - so it wasn't possible to thin the deer inside the city even with a permit from ODNR.

“We can give them the authority to take deer outside of the season or above that bagging limit but they have to abide by local laws and ordinances,” Scott Angelo, ODNR District Manager said.

“Huntings not appropriate as Scott (Angelo) identified in certain locations,” Young said at the meeting. “We believe Mill Creek Park is one of those locations which is why hunting is not recommended for Mill Creek Park.”

Mill Creek Park is the largest area of the Mill Creek MetroParks. Mill Creek Park takes up just 2,658 acres of the MetroParks’ 5,000+ acres. There are still plans to hunt and sharpshoot deer in the parts of Mill Creek MetroParks that are outside of Youngstown. 

 

This map show the entire Mill Creek Metro Park area. Mill Creek Park takes up just a small portion in the top left corner.
This map show the entire Mill Creek Metro Park area. Mill Creek Park takes up just a small portion in the top left corner.  

 

The city of Youngstown's law director, Jeff Limbian was at the meeting - he said that was the first time hearing that decision and said the city wants to get that in writing. 

MetroParks does not have a set number of deer that will be killed yet. They still need to finalize a management plan, decide on the number of deer, then have ODNR review that plan to grant them a permit.