O’Hara officials have established their own deer management program after years of third-party service.
Council approved the move to bring animal population controls in-house in a 6-0 vote May 12. Council Vice President Richard Hughes was absent.
Officials said the goal is to have more control over operations and hopefully more successful harvests.
“I think it’s a great idea to bring it in-house,” Councilman Mike Hammill said. “With this open, we can expand it and increase the number of hunters.”
Councilman George Stewart said there was a need for more aggressive animal population controls.
“I love every animal, including bees, but you have to realize the number of accidents that are occurring and the number of deer dying in horrible adverse circumstances,” he said.
“It’s a terrible problem. We can control the number of deer we’re able to take, and at the same time we can ensure that it’s done in a safe and respectful way of doing it.”
O’Hara’s deer management was handled by Whitetail Management Associates for about 20 years.
Officials said the company harvested an average of 16 to 21 deer a year. WMA removed 28 deer from the township in 2024.
Deputy Superintendent Patrick Goodman, one of the driving forces behind the change, said he hopes township hunters will do more than that.
“We’re all positive about it, and we’re going to do our best to make it safe and effective,” he said.
Police Superintendent Jay Davis said bringing things in-house also was done in response to residential complaints.
“The township’s deer management program was developed in response to the increasing number of complaints concerning deer-related vehicle crashes and damage to residential properties, including trees, shrubs, bushes, gardens and other landscaping,” Davis said via email.
The program currently is limited to archery hunting and on township property only.
However, the township is accepting requests from residents who would like a deer hunter on their property.
Seeking hunters
The township is accepting applications for volunteer hunters through June 12.
Potential hunters must be at least 18 and are subject to a criminal background check. They also must complete a bow hunting safety course and proficiency test and agree to hunt in assigned areas for the entire season.
There is no application fee, but they must apply. The cost for the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s safety course is $30.
Hunters will be required to report their hunting day activities, including date and time and what they saw, regardless of harvest.
Archery season in the state’s Wildlife Management Unit that covers O’Hara is from Sept. 19 to Nov. 27 and Dec. 26 to Jan. 24.
Archers and hunters with crossbows must remain at least 50 yards away from an occupied structure to hunt unless given permission by the property owner.
Hunter applications and resident participation forms are available on the township’s website at ohara.pa.us.
Paper copies are available in the township office, 325 Fox Chapel Road.
For details, call township police at 412-782-1403.
Hunters helping others
Some of the deer harvested by WMA were processed into venison and donated to charities such as the Salvation Army or Jubilee Soup Kitchen.
Goodman said township hunters will be responsible for their own processing.
Donating to charity is encouraged but not required.
“We just want to make sure that the deer that are harvested in this are utilized in a good manner,” Goodman said.
Fox Chapel also has its own deer management program.
This year resulted in the culling of 150 deer, a mix of does and bucks, and 4,200 pounds of meat for local food banks.
It supports food pantries, soup kitchens and related charities through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Hunters Sharing the Harvest program.
