Walsh says deer-management effort starting this week

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced that deer management carried out by qualified wildlife managers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin this week and continue through March.

The City of Syracuse will be one of several local municipalities completing deer-damage management with the USDA this winter, Walsh office said in its announcement.

The city is continuing targeted killing and removal of deer this season to respond to public health and safety concerns. The purpose of the program is to address the impact of deer overpopulation on deer-vehicle accidents; parks, gardens, and the ecosystem; and public-health risks, such as Lyme Disease, per Walsh’s office.

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.

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 involved will do their work on DEC-permitted sites where “explicit written permission from the property owners have been provided,” Walsh’s office said.

All sites are either private or closed to public access when the work is conducted.

Specially trained USDA wildlife managers will do their work at night between the hours of dusk and dawn. All sites are closed to public access when work is conducted.

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, Walsh’s office noted.

The Syracuse Common Council has authorized the funding to implement the tick and deer-management plan. Primary funding is provided by Onondaga County with support from Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and the Onondaga County Legislature.