Pittsburgh's Deer Management Program resumes in several area parks

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh's Deer Management Program started back up on Saturday.

It aims to manage the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in numerous city parks, but, the response from people going to these parks depends on who you ask.

It didn't take long for some archers to take down some doe.

"They generally don't do it during the day," Mark DeGonish, who was walking his dog in Riverview Park, said.

DeGonish saw some of them last year. He doesn't have any issues with it.

"I've seen a few of them hunting," he said. "They've been professional. They've been safe. They've been considerate."

Fifty archers were selected to take part. The program is also expanding this year, adding Schenley, Highland, and Emerald View Parks to Frick and Riverview parks.

"[It] makes me feel uncomfortable just having hunters in the park while we're in here," Dan McKosky said.

McKosky frequents Frick Park. According to the city, the USDA is assigning specific zones in these parks for archers to hunt.

He doesn't like it though.

"It's hard for me to rationalize that when you see how beautiful a deer is in person, and they get to be so close to you here in the park," McKosky said.

The city says people in the parks should stay on established trails, keep dogs on leashes, and respect the hunters' space.

The city says overpopulation is a problem. DeGonish said people have to pick their poison.

"I've walked with him – six feet away from a buck – the buck wouldn't move!" he said. "[It] sat there with nerve, and so, what are you going to do?"

Well, he's a believer that this way may be the best way.

"I don't think that birth control for deer is the answer," he said. "And hunting with rifles? You can't stop a bullet once it goes, but an arrow only goes so far."