Update June 2024

Lottery registration for the 2024 to 2025 archery season can be found at the website linked here. This program is expanding for the 2024 to 2025 season to include Schenley, Highland and Emerald View Parks.

Read more in the Press Release published June 10, 2024.

Update April 2024

On April 3, 2024 the City of Pittsburgh announced the results of the 2023 phase of its Deer Management Pilot Program.

The program was a partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create a program to manage the overpopulation of white-tailed deer in city parks.

Read our Deer Management Pilot Debrief, published April 2 to learn more.

Introduction

In cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the City of Pittsburgh is expanding its Deer Management Program for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. This will include an archery program in Frick, Riverview, Schenley, Highland, and Emerald View Parks. In addition, a pilot targeted harvesting program will take place in Frick and Riverview Parks at the conclusion of archery season while the parks are closed overnight.

Interested archers can enter into a lottery system from which 50 archers will be selected, along with 50 alternate archers. All selected archers must pass a criminal background check and fulfill the following criteria:

  • Must be at least 18 years of age
  • Be a resident of Allegheny County (priority will be given to City of Pittsburgh residents)
  • Have a clean criminal background check, including a clean PA Game Commission record
  • Plan to purchase a 2B Antlerless Tag 
  • Not participating in other deer management programs

Upon passing a criminal background check, the selected archers will be required to attend an accuracy test on Thursday, July 11 from 3-7 p.m. OR Sunday, July 14 from 9-3 p.m. If the accuracy test is passed, each hunter will be assigned a hunter ID number and a specific location within a park where they are permitted to hunt.

Additional program stipulations:

  • There is a zero-tolerance policy. Any hunter who violates the guidelines outlined in this program or commits a game-law felony will result in immediate expulsion from the program.
  • Every archer is REQUIRED to take a doe first. This doe must be donated to a food bank program, such as Hunters Sharing the Harvest.
  • Absolutely no field dressing is allowed on-site. ALL dressing must be performed at the authorized dressing location.
  • Complete an online post-hunt summary within 24-hours of a successful or non-successful hunt.