culling the deer WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Mt. Lebanon Commission has autho- 10,000 deer and provided 200,000 tions of the public golf course, Twin Hills rized an archery hunt as part of an pounds of venison to food banks. Park, McNeilly Park, the public works ongoing deer management effort to Other experts have helped the facility and Robb Hollow Park. reduce deer-automobile crashes. The municipal commission define its goals WILL THE PARKS BE CLOSED? program began September 19 and over the years, including biologists and No. All public areas and parks will will continue through January. wildlife conservation officers from the remain open. Pennsylvania Game Commission. HOW DOES THE ARCHERY WILL SAFE WALKING ROUTES TO PROGRAM WORK? WHAT SAFETY MEASURES ARE SCHOOL BE AFFECTED? Experienced archers will conduct a BEING IMPLEMENTED? None of the areas are within a recom- deer hunt on private and specified pub- By far, the greatest way to ensure mended safe walking route. lic properties in Mt. Lebanon during safety is with responsible hunting archery season beginning September by responsible hunters. The archer HOW WILL THE PUBLIC KNOW 19 through the last weekend in January selection program has been extremely ABOUT THE PROGRAM? Public hunting areas will be posted. for with a break for two weeks in December. rigorous. White Buffalo has chosen the duration of the hunt. LeboALERTs The program involves legal archery hunt- seven hunters (with four more await- will be sent as needed. We will include ing following all state game commission ing approval), selected after an appli- updates in Mt. Lebanon Magazine and rules and requires no special permit. All cation and an interview. All hunters hunters are required to harvest three at www.lebomag.com and www.mtleba- are certified in bow hunter education, non.org in the newsflash section on the antlerless deer before removing a deer including safety and ethics, and passed with antlers. front page and on the deer management a proficiency test with a bow or cross- page at www.mtlebanon.org/index.aspx- The nonprofit wildlife management bow. They must have attended an ori- and resource group White Buffalo Inc., ?NID=2114. We have notified school entation meeting and passed a criminal officials. of Connecticut (www.whitebuffaloinc. history check at the hunter’s expense. org) will supervise the program. Project Each hunter signed a pledge to hold the WHAT HAPPENS TO THE manager is Jody Maddock. public interest above their own. Some HARVESTED DEER? Municipal officials will receive a sum- of them are police officers. Hunters must donate every third deer mary, including a count of deer taken, at The local team leader White Buffalo to the Hunters Sharing the Harvest pro- the conclusion of the program. has selected has been a bow hunter edu- gram. It is likely that more than one of every three will be donated there; however, WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF THE cation and safety instructor for 20 years many of the hunters already have estab- PROGRAM? and has taught many local hunters. lished relationships with other sources. Hunting can take place from 30 min- To boost public confidence, hunting utes prior to sunrise to 30 minutes in public areas is restricted to police HOW MUCH WILL THE ARCHERY following sunset. Hunters may work in officers only. All hunters will carry and PROGRAM COST IN THE 2015-16 designated public parks Monday through wear ID identifying them as being part HUNTING SEASON? Friday and on approved private property of Mt. Lebanon’s program. $15,460. Monday through Saturday. There will be Shots must be taken 15 yards or clos- IS MT. LEBANON EXPLORING OTHER no hunting Sundays. er to the deer. Shots will either come DEER CONTROL OPTIONS? from above the deer, such as from a tree ARE THERE PROGRAMS LIKE THIS This month, Mt. Lebanon stand, or be shot into a backstop, such IN OTHER LOCATIONS? Commissioners will discuss issuing a as a hill behind the deer. Many other areas in the state have Request for Proposal for culling deer used legal archery programs, including HOW WERE THE PRIVATE PROP- using sharpshooters. Commissioners also Allegheny County, Upper St. Clair, ERTIES SELECTED? have authorized municipal officials to Bethel Park, Peters Township, South Interested private property owners submit a proposal to the Humane Society Park and Fox Chapel. contacted White Buffalo offering to of the U.S., and a private foundation for donate their properties for participation funding to support a deer fertility control WHO HELPED MT. LEBANON in the project. Officials from White and sterilization project. DEVISE THE PROGRAM, AND HOW Buffalo contacted each applicant and EXPERIENCED ARE THEY? WHOM SHOULD I CONTACT IF I White Buffalo Inc., and its president the applicant’s neighbors for any addi- HAVE A CONCERN OR WANT TO and founder, Dr. Anthony DeNicola, tional permissions needed. Each prop- REPORT SOMETHING? have been consulting with Mt. Lebanon erty was rated based on White Buffalo’s If you have a general concern about regarding deer overpopulation for the discretion, with more weight given to the program, call Municipal Planner last few years. White Buffalo. has nearly areas of heavy vegetation or woods. Keith McGill at 412-343-3684 or email 20 years experience and uses biologists, WHAT PUBLIC AREAS ARE BEING him at [email protected]. If you veterinarians, project managers and field USED FOR THE HUNT? have an issue of immediate safety con- technicians to help manage over-abun- The conservation area at Connor cern, call 9-1-1. dant species. It has removed more than Road and Terrace Drive, wooded por- WILL MT. LEBANON BE IDENTIFYING THE PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE ARCHERY PROGRAM? No. All private property owners who expressed an interest in donating their property for participation in the program were instructed to contact White Buffalo Inc. directly. We understand that the donations were made based upon a condition of confidentiality. As such the municipality does not have a list identifying which properties were selected to participate. In Pennsylvania all hunting is regulated by the PA Game Commission. Hunting is permitted under State law on private property provided the homeowner and the hunter follow the rules of the Game Commission related to permits, safety zones, hours, etc. Game Commission laws supersede any local laws or ordinances. There is no requirement that a property owner notify the municipality that hunting is taking place on their property.