Archery program looking for more hunters in McCandless

The deer management program in McCandless is looking for more archery hunters to participate in the fall.

Suburban Whitetail Management, of Wexford, provides bow hunting programs to manage deer populations in several areas of the North Hills of Pittsburgh. It has provided deer management in Franklin Park for several years and is in its second year for Ross Township, according to Luke Leonard, who owns and operates Suburban Whitetail Management with Michael Clinebell.

McCandless Township used the company for the first time in the fall of 2021, according to a presentation from Leonard to township council March 14. Nineteen deer were harvested.

The archery deer hunting season in Pennsylvania is from September to the end of January, Leonard said.

SWM’s program, dedicated for archery whitetail deer hunting only, sometimes takes a few seasons to start seeing results, Leonard said. Overall, McCandless’ first season “did go pretty well,” he said.

“We hope to provide residents in need, with an overwhelming, high deer population in their area, some relief in the near future using skilled hunters along with safety first and foremost,” Leonard said.

Areas in the North Hills have been reported to have an overpopulation of deer.

“These animals are prolific and adaptable,” said Jeannine Fleegle, of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, in an online presentation to McCandless in 2021.

A female deer can breed at least one deer each year and reproduce for approximately 10 years.

There are no natural predators in the area for deer, she said.

“If deer are not harvested in Pennsylvania, there is not much more that’s going to kill them.”

Deer can be a safety concern for motorists. They also can carry disease and ticks, which can infect humans with Lyme disease.

Fleegle said there is a long list of things a deer will eat, causing heavy damage to local landscapes and natural habitat.

McCandless passed an ordinance last year banning the feeding of deer, with possible fines up to $500. Franklin Park also has a deer feeding ordinance with possible fines at least $100 to no more than $1,000.

Leonard said even though Ross is only in its second year of deer harvesting, the program is working because there are fewer deer to hunt.

Franklin Park, which has been in the program for several years, is seeing fewer deer, he said. So much so, that one hunter is needed for the 80 acres of Blueberry Hill Park. Comparatively, in a high-deer volume area, one hunter is used for every 10 acres, Clinebell said.

Suburban Whitetail Management must follow the rules of the state Game Commission. The company’s harvesting services are at no cost to the homeowner or township. It receives funding from fees paid by participating hunters.

Hunters contact the company and apply to participate. In Allegheny County each hunter must buy a tag to kill a deer. In Allegheny County, a hunter is allowed several doe or female tags, but only one buck, or male, tag per season, said Leonard.

Suburban Wildlife Management requires a hunter to donate every first and third tag to the Hunters Sharing Harvest program. This past year 23 deer were donated through the program, which equaled 4,000 meals, Leonard said.

The company can access all land owned by McCandless, including parks, public and vacant land.

It may be contacted by a private property owner, either residential or business, but not all private property is suitable to hunt. Harvesting cannot be conducted within 50 feet of a neighboring structure unless there is written permission from that neighbor.

A minimum of 3 total acres is a suitable property, Leonard said.

If all residents provide written approval for a certain street or area, then it becomes more accessible for hunting Leonard said. The company makes residents aware when a hunt is scheduled. Hunters use marked arrows, keep hunting logs, remove tagged deer and remove any field dressing. They will hunt from an elevated platform, unless permitted otherwise.

Dan Kortum, a member of the McCandless planning commission, commented on the need for more hunting on private property.

“When deer are well-protected and well-fed, they don’t roam. They get all they need from my property and my neighbor’s property,” said Kortum.

“Unless we get private property (to hunt on), we’re chasing our tail,” he said.

Suburban Whitetail Management does not hunt on school properties. The state requires hunters to be at least 150 yards away from a school.

The first year a community enters the program, the company tries to establish a baseline of how many deer are in an area and how many hunters will be needed. The company currently has 15 hunters in McCandless. However, about half of them logged in zero hours, so the company is looking for others to take their spots.

“In a program where we need to see progress, we need to move on with new individuals,” said Leonard, of McCandless.

“McCandless and Me” an online engagement platform for its residents, has information about the program and how to join. It lists a monthly status of the hunting program, said Councilperson Kim Zachary.

The company is looking to recruit more hunters before next season. Ross Township recently did a social media outreach on its program, and Suburban Whitetail Management received 20 inquiries afterward, Leonard said.

Hunters living in a community that’s being hunted get first preference in that community. Hunters are interviewed and must pass a required archery proficiency test. Hunters will have a permission slip to be on a property and a parking pass, and they will hunt an assigned property for the entire season.

They check all properties for safety hazards.

For more information, contact suburbanwhitetailpa@gmail.com.