50 archers to start limited deer hunt Saturday in 5 Pittsburgh parks

A limited deer hunting season will begin this weekend in several Pittsburgh parks.

It’s open only to 50 pre-selected archers who had to undergo background checks and archery accuracy tests.

Hunting will begin Saturday in the city’s Frick, Riverview, Schenley, Emerald View and Highland parks.

The controlled deer cull is part of a partnership between the city and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. City officials have not said how many deer they hope to cull in the program.

A smaller pilot program last year — which included 30 archers in Frick and Riverview parks — killed 108 deer. The program requires some venison to be donated, and last year’s hunting season resulted in nearly 10,000 donated meals.

City officials have said this year’s program may include USDA sharpshooters hunting overnight at Riverview and Frick parks.

Additional details on the sharpshooting portion of the program have not yet been released.

City officials have said unchecked deer populations can lead to increased collisions with vehicles and over-eating of native plant species.

Some activists spoke out against hunting before officials authorized the initial pilot program last year, but local leaders said they had no better choice to manage the local deer population. Birth control and castration for deer are illegal in Pennsylvania.

Signs have been posted in the five parks where hunting will be permitted. Park patrons should stay on established trails and keep dogs on leashes, city officials said.

The city’s archery season will run from this Saturday through December 14 and December 26 through January 25. Hunting will not be permitted on Sundays.