Mayor Walsh Announces Deer Management to Start in City Week of Dec 12

Published on December 07, 2022

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced deer management carried out by qualified wildlife managers from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin the week of December 12 and continue through March of 2023. The City of Syracuse will be one of several municipalities across the county completing deer damage management with the USDA this winter.

The City is again undertaking targeted removal of deer this season in response 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.

The City has issued a frequently asked question sheet, “What Syracuse residents should know about Deer Damage Management.” The sheet is available at bit.ly/syrdeermgmt-facts2022 or by calling the Syracuse Parks Department at (315) 473-4330. More information about the Syracuse Tick and Deer Management Plan is at https://www.syr.gov/Initiatives/Tick-and-Deer-Management.

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.

• All of the locations are on large private and city-owned properties.
• Only DEC permitted sites where explicit written permission from the property owners have been provided will be accessed.
• The sites are required to be at least 500 feet from any occupied dwelling.
• 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. 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. Work will be conducted in the months of December 2022 through March 2023.

The integrated plan also includes community education on personal safeguards from tick-borne disease. The City Department of Parks, Recreation & Youth Programs will conduct education programs in collaboration with Cornell Cooperative Extension this spring and summer.

City funding for implementation of the Tick and Deer Management Plan is authorized by the Syracuse Common Council. Primary funding is provided by Onondaga County with support from County Executive J. Ryan McMahon, II and the Onondaga County Legislature.