Mt. Lebanon Deer Culling Plan In Effect

MOUNT LEBANON (KDKA) - Mount Lebanon's controversial plan to thin the deer herd is now in effect.

The contractor hired to help with the deer cull left for Pittsburgh this morning and is scheduled to meet with borough officials this afternoon.

Twin Hills Trails Park is one of six locations where the culling pens will be set up.

KDKA's Rick Dayton Reports:

What has a lot of people upset is that Twin Hills Trails Park is not far from a residential area in the heart of Mt. Lebanon.

You don't have to go far to find deer in the municipality and residents see them all the time.

"They just devastate the tomatoes. Once they get buds on them, they will chew the buds off. If they don't get the buds, once the little tomatoes come on, they will eat those," Jerry Miller said.

Now, a contractor is set to begin the culling process to thin the herd. They will set up 8-foot tall collection pens in six parks around Mt Lebanon.

The contractor will start baiting those pens with corn, apples and grain this afternoon.

When there are a maximum of six deer in the collection pens, the contractor will shoot the deer.

"I hate to see them killed. I really do. But, on the other side, people think that's the only way to do it. But for me, I could let them live. I will just plant things that they won't eat," Miller said.

Bird Park is another location where they will be setting up the collection pens to cull the deer.

They have from now until March 31 to harvest 150 head of deer.

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