YOUNGSTOWN — The second and third weeks of the Mill Creek MetroParks’ deer reduction plan resulted in another 41 deer being killed by hunters chosen through a state lottery system, bringing the total to 51 deer being removed that way so far this fall.

Add to that 54 deer removed by U.S. Department of Agriculture-employed sharpshooters at night Oct. 7 and Oct. 9, and the total number of deer removed from the MetroParks so far this fall is 105, according to Nick Derico, natural resources manager for the MetroParks.

The number of deer removed by hunters was 10 the first week, 35 the second week and six the third week.

All of the deer removed by hunters were killed through archery. Among the parks where hunting is permitted through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources lottery system are Hitchcock Woods, Huntington Woods, Collier Preserve, Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, Springfield Forest, Hawkins Marsh, Vickers Nature Preserve, Sawmill Creek Preserve and the MetroParks Farm.

When Derico was asked why he thought the number of deer killed two weeks ago was so much higher than the first and second week, he said, “There are many factors that contribute to hunter success, such as weather, hunter participation, individual hunter goals, etc., so it’s hard to say why the harvest was higher in week two. But looking back to last year, it is on par with what we had seen in the earlier weeks of 2023.”

The reduction plan resulted in 204 deer being removed last year from Oct. 1 to late January.

This year, ODNR approved MetroParks to remove 75 white-tailed deer using U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters through March 31. Last year, the MetroParks removed 38 deer using that method.

Derico has said the 75 reductions approved for this year will come from Mill Creek Park between U.S. Route 224 and Midlothian Boulevard, like last year.

Two types of litigation are pending regarding the reduction plan.

One is an appeal before the 7th District Court of Appeals of a ruling by Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Anthony Donofrio that the deer reduction plan is legal. The other is a request by members of the Save the Mill Creek Park Deer group that Mahoning County Probate Court remove the Mill Creek MetroParks commissioners from their positions.