The National Park Service announced the continuation of its deer management program at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. The annual program will run October through March according to a park service news release.
The release said park service officials will reduce the number of deer within their boundaries directly by shooting.
The purpose of managing the deer population, the release reads, is supporting forest regeneration in historic woodlots that played a role in the Battle of Gettysburg. The management program provides for protection, conservation and restoration of native species and cultural landscapes. Hunting is not permitted inside the two parks; only qualified federal employees will take part in the effort to reduce the herd.
“We continue to manage white-tailed deer at Gettysburg and Eisenhower parks in order to control the damage they do to historic woodlots and farm fields,” said Bob Kirby, park superintendent, in the release.
The park service changed its deer management program last year in response to an outbreak of chronic wasting disease in Adams County, the release states.
All deer killed in the deer management program last year tested negative for the disease, according to the release. Once deer had tested negative, the release stated, venison was distributed to local food banks, including the Adams County South Central Community Action Program and the Maryland Food Bank.
All deer taken through the program will be tested this year. Venison from deer that test negative for the disease will be donated to area food banks.
While there is no current evidence that chronic wasting disease can be transmitted to humans, park service officials will take a careful approach to its donation of meat, the release said.
According to the release, no chronic wasting disease has been found in wild deer populations in Pennsylvania or at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Society.
In 1995, an environmental impact statement described and considered a variety of options for meeting park objectives for deer management, including public hunting, relocation and the use of sterilization and contraception. Hundreds of people participated in the public review of the impact statement and many commented on it in writing. The park service decided to reduce the number of deer in the parks through shooting.
The deer management program will continue each year as necessary. A safety committee is consulted on matters of public safety related to the program.
The committee consists of the local Pennsylvania Game Commission officer, Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township police chiefs, chair of the Gettysburg National Military Park Advisory Commission and the park’s superintendent, chief ranger, and biologist.
In addition to monitoring the deer population each spring, the park does long-term forest monitoring to help assess the program and set deer management goals.