Ross deer population management program to begin next month with archery hunting season
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Ross Township’s inaugural deer population management program kicks off next month in connection with deer archery hunting season.
Commissioners in June approved an organized bow hunt on public and private land to reduce the number of deer in the township.
About a dozen hunters from Wexford-based Suburban Whitetail Management LLC will cover about a dozen properties.
The hunt begins Saturday, Sept. 19.
“It’s been a lot of work, but great work,” commission vice president Dan DeMarco said. “I’m feeling really good about the program, and I think it’s going to be successful. These guys, they know what they’re doing.”
Parks are excluded as hunting grounds. Hunters can be on private property only with written permission from the owner.
Archery season is scheduled from Sept. 19 through Nov. 27, and Dec. 26 through Jan. 23, according to the state Game Commission.
DeMarco said deer have been causing problems in Ross for at least a decade, and have been responsible for hundreds of automobile crashes in just the past few years.
“We have a serious problem with deer there’s no doubt,” he said. “It’s a population problem, and we need to get the population under control.”
Residents also chimed in on the problems via survey last year, and at a public hearing on the matter in February that became standing-room-only. Game commission officials at the public hearing recommended an archery hunt.
The membership fee to join
Suburban Whitetail Management co-founder Luke Leonard said there is still time for people to become a member and join the hunt.
Hunters who apply must undergo a criminal background check, have a face-to-face interview with a committee from the organization, pass a shooting skills test and agree to adhere to the group’s bylaws, ethics and responsibilities.
Once they are approved, hunters will receive a parking pass that must be displayed while they are in the field. They will be assigned a property on which to harvest deer.
Hunters must have badges, wear orange safety vests and shoot from tree stands and not on the ground.
DeMarco said the Game Commission and township police also will have information on the hunters and where they’re located in case problems arise.
“This isn’t a scene where you’re going to see arrows flying through neighborhoods,” DeMarco said. “This is very controlled. They know the rules and laws … We’re not going to endorse a program that we’re not fully comfortable with and don’t know is safe.”
Leonard said he anticipates 30 to 40 deer will be culled this season, with the hopes of making it grow in subsequent years.
“I believe it’s going to be a good year,” Leonard said. “I would ask the residents be patient. This is a program that is going to take a few years, and obviously we’re not going to see giant results in the beginning. As the program goes, it’s going to work out for everybody.”
Hunters’ first and every third deer will be donated to the charity Hunters Sharing the Harvest. The organization’s been helping to feed the hungry through its venison donation program for nearly 30 years.
Some hunting spots
Township properties were the hunt will occur include vacant spots along Sunderland Drive, Amethyst Street, Dolphin Drive, near the power substation along Thompson Run Road, below the public works property along Cemetery Lane, and lots along Rochester Road, Doulton Drive and Reis Run Road.
Property owners who want to participate in the program can apply to Suburban Whitetail Management, which will collect information on the size of the property, access to the area, the availability of parking and any safety concerns.
The hunt comes at no cost to the township or property owners. The company gets paid via membership dues. It takes at least a week to become a member.
Owners and potential hunters can contact Leonard or co-founder Mike Clinebell via email at suburbanwhitetailpa@gmail.com for more information.