WHITE-TAILED DEER | PHOTO ADOBE STOCK

With the deer population still uncontrolled is some parts of Pittsburgh, the Department of Public Safety is expanding its deer management program to four new parks: Hays Woods, Hazelwood Greenway, South Side Park and the Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway.

The program, which launched in 2023 to cull the overpopulated herd with bow hunters, was originally based in Frick and Riverview parks. After a successful season without any public safety incidents, it grew in 2024 to include Schenley, Emerald View and Highland parks.

Now, it’s branching out into additional green spaces like Hays Woods, a new urban park that became Pittsburgh’s second-largest park after its recent acquisition, and the Beechview-Seldom Seen Greenway, a hidden urban escape tucked off Saw Mill Run Boulevard.

Archers harvested 199 deer last season, with the meat from 92 of them donated to local food banks. Through programs such as Hunters Sharing the Harvest, 14,000 meals were provided to those in need using venison from the harvest.

With an estimated 1.5 million white-tailed deer across Pennsylvania, the state animal’s dense population generates a slew of problems.

“The large deer population has [depleted] their food source, limiting native vegetation’s ability to root and regenerate,” the City of Pittsburgh says on its website. “With no natural predators, we are seeing an increase in car-deer collisions, relentless damage to our ecosystem, and unnatural aggression toward pets and people.”

With the expansion of the bow hunting, the Department of Public Safety seeks 65 local archers to join the effort. Those who are interested and meet the necessary criteria can enter the lottery through July 20 for a chance to be selected for the upcoming archery season.

Archers must pass a background check, be at least 18 years old, not be participating in another deer management program, plan to purchase the appropriate license and pass an accuracy test. The selected archers are also required to take a doe first in an effort to slow ongoing breeding.

To guarantee safety during the program, archers are assigned specific hunting zones and must remain at least 50 yards away from structures like schools, playgrounds and houses. Throughout the program’s history, there have been no public safety incidents reported.

The approved Allegheny County 2025 archery season is set for Sept. 20 through Dec. 13 and Dec. 26 through Jan. 24,2026, excluding Sundays.