Published September 22, 2026 at 5:30 AM EDT

Pittsburgh kicked off its annual deer management program this past weekend, inviting approved archers to hunt in an expanded number of city parks to reduce population levels.

The program, now entering its fourth year, is a joint effort from Pittsburgh and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to manage the overpopulation of white-tailed deer. The deer are native to the region, but if left unchecked they can cause real harm to the environment by over-eating native plants and increasing the risk of disease and deer-vehicle collisions.

Last season included archery-controlled hunts in Frick, Schenley, Highland, Riverview, Emerald View, Hays Woods, McKinley, and Southside Parks, as well as Seldom Seen and Hazelwood Greenways. This year the program will add Sheraden Park and Spring Hill/Garden Greenway.

Marksmen contracted by the USDA will also take out weaker deer in a practice called “targeted harvesting” in Hays Woods, Seldom Seen and Highland Parks from winter 2026 to spring 2027.

After a background check, wildlife violation check and skills test over the summer, city officials selected 65 bowhunters from Southwestern Pennsylvania to participate in the program. Officials with the city and the Pennsylvania Game Commission also expanded the mentorship program, according to the city, which allows some of those vetted archers to mentor others in proper archery practices.

Notice signs have been posted in parks and greenways to alert visitors when archery hunting is taking place. Officials encourage park-goers to stay on established trails, keep dogs on a leash, and steer clear of the authorized hunters.

The program began Saturday, Sept. 19 and will run through Sunday, Dec. 13, and from Saturday, Dec. 26 to Sunday, Jan. 24. Sundays are excluded, except for approved mentor hunts in Hays Woods.