SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The City of Syracuse’s deer-management program begins this week (Jan. 6-10) and will continue through March.
Qualified wildlife managers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will handle the work, the office of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said.
The City of Syracuse will be one of several local municipalities completing deer-damage management with the USDA this winter.
Syracuse is continuing targeted removal of deer this season in response to public health and safety concerns, Walsh’s office said. The program addresses the impact of deer overpopulation on deer-vehicle accidents; parks, gardens, and the ecosystem; and public health risks, such as Lyme Disease.
“Suitable sites” meeting strict New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) criteria were identified on the east, west, and south sides of the city. The wildlife managers will only do their work on DEC permitted sites where property owners have provided “explicit written permission” to do so. All sites are either private or closed to public access when work is conducted.
Specially trained USDA wildlife managers will conduct the work only at night, between the hours of dusk to dawn. All sites are closed to public access when work is conducted. In 2025, the city plans to conduct a pilot program using the “trap and euthanize” deer management method. The pilot will be limited to private-resident properties on the eastside where “significant” deer overpopulation continues.
No wildlife management officer should be accessing private property without permission. Residents should call 911 if you see suspicious activity on public or private property at any time.
The Syracuse Common Council authorized funding for implementation of the tick and deer-management plan, Walsh’s office said. Onondaga County provided primary funding with support from Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and the Onondaga County Legislature.
The City of Syracuse has issued a frequently asked question sheet, “What Syracuse residents should know about Deer Damage Management.” The sheet is available at goto.syr.gov/factsheet-tickanddeer or by calling the Syracuse Parks Department at (315) 473-4330. More information about Syracuse’s Tick and Deer Management Plan is available at: syr.gov/tickanddeer.