Mt. Lebanon Puts Plan In Place To Begin Culling Deer Population

MOUNT LEBANON (KDKA) -- Without a predator, the population of deer in Mount Lebanon has flourished.

"The result is accidents, and increasing numbers of accidents, and that's our biggest concern," said Kristen Linfante, the commissioner of Mount Lebanon's 3rd Ward.

So, using corrals, wildlife specialists have been hired to remove up to 150 deer from the community in February and March.

"The corrals are going to be positioned in a variety of places, essentially in parks," says Linfante.

It'll begin with setting up the eight or nine corrals and attracting the deer with bait. The corrals have sensors in the fencing, which will email wildlife specialist when the deer are there.

"When we see the deer are in there, we send a text message back to the gate and it closes," Linfante said.

Since Pennsylvania doesn't allow relocating the deer, a wildlife team will go to the corral at night and shoot the deer.

"Because of the close range, it's a very immediate result and there are very few risks or concerns involved," Linfante says.

Mount Lebanon's commissioners had gotten an earful from people angry about the culling, but say it's needed for safety and the harvested meat will go area food banks.

"The meat will be utilized and used in a very positive way in the community," Linfante added.

If the Pennsylvania Game Commission approves, the corrals will start going up next week.

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