<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4JUEgG_1GzOSZAi00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4JUEgG_1GzOSZAi00" width="1140" height="775" ><figcaption>A deer in winter. Pittsburgh has expanded its Deer Management Program into the Spring Hill/Garden Greenway, adding a second Northside location for the annual deer hunts.</figcaption></figure>SPRING HILL — Since 2023, bow hunters have helped to reduce the deer population in Riverview Park under the City of Pittsburgh’s Deer Management Program. Now the city has added a second location on the Northside for the program.The Spring Hill/Garden Greenway is now hosting hunters during the 2026-27 season, which began on Sept. 19 and will run through Jan. 24. The greenway lies on the border of Spring Hill and Spring Garden, running from Spring Hill Park down to slightly past Spring Garden Park. Trail entries to the greenway are located at Romanhoff and Schubert streets.Pittsburgh Park Ranger Supervisor Erica Allwes told The Chronicle that the city expanded the program to allow for a more even deer cull. By only hunting in a single location in the region, she said, it allows deer to escape to other parts of the Northside and avoid getting picked off by hunters.“We wanted everyone in the city to have the benefits of deer management,” she said.In addition to the greenway, Sheraden Park near McKees Rocks was also added to the list of hunting locations this year. In total, 11 areas are open to selected hunters through the program.Allwes said the city has searched for more areas that would be suitable for integration in the program. However, while the city has a “decent amount” of green spaces, not all of them are able to host hunters. She said locations need to have sufficient size and be forested enough to allow for hunting.Alison Keating, Chair of the Deer Committee for the Friends of Riverview Park, said the program has had success in reducing the number of deer on the Northside.“There’s still too many, but they’re seeing fewer,” Keating said.In particular, Keating reports that more native plants have shown up in the park, and Riverview visitors have noticed the deer present being more afraid of humans and staying away.Keating was glad to learn that more areas on the Northside will see deer hunts.“We have seen that the deer move based on hunting in the park,” she said. “It’s obvious we need to hunt in more areas so that the hunters can be more successful.”She also reported that there have been no credible problems or issues arising between the hunters and park visitors.According to Allwes, a total of 137 deer have been culled from Riverview Park since the program began across three seasons of archery and one targeted harvesting carried out last year by the United States Department of Agriculture.The deer program provides a way to reduce the city’s deer population, which is able to avoid natural predation in Pittsburgh’s parks and greenspaces. According to the city, deer populations can double every two-to-three years, causing strain on native vegetation and increasing the risk of vehicle collisions.The hunters for the program are selected by the city through numerous criteria, including a background check and accuracy exam. Each hunter is assigned to a specific park or area to hunt, and is required to take a doe first and donate it to a food bank program.The program is currently not accepting applications for any additional hunters, Allwes said.For more information on the program, visit engage.pittsburghpa.gov/deer-management-program</div></body>

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SPRING HILL — Since 2023, bow hunters have helped to reduce the deer population in Riverview Park under the City of Pittsburgh’s Deer Management Program. Now the city has added a second location on the Northside for the program. The Spring Hill/Garden Greenway is now hosting hunters during...

City expands deer cull program into Spring Hill/Garden Greenway

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SPRING HILL — Since 2023, bow hunters have helped to reduce the deer population in Riverview Park under the City of Pittsburgh’s Deer Management Program. N

City expands deer cull program into Spring Hill/Garden Greenway

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