MetroParks official says effort to thin deer herd ahead of schedule
CANFIELD, Ohio - Mill Creek MetroPark officials say the program to reduce the number of deer in Mahoning County is ahead of schedule with a total of 95 killed since the hunt started earlier this month.
So far, 64 deer have been harvested by bow, with 30 more killed by USDA Wildlife sharpshooters.
The hunt is to reduce the number of deer in the park after park officials say data showed an average of 387 deer per square mile.
At Monday night’s park board meeting, some residents wanted to know how many more deer would be taken before the effort ended.
“We provided an estimated range, 66 to 140, somewhere in there,” said MetroParks Natural Resources Manager, Nick Derico. “That number is based upon a 20 percent success rate that we derived from other controlled hunting opportunities in the state.”
Meat from the deer is being given to the Second Harvest Foodbank.
Members of the Save the Deer group did show up to the meeting, asking the board to stop the culling.
The hunt was okayed by a judge in September. The Save the Deer group has appealed that decision.
