FARMINGTON HILLS (WWJ) -- What to do about all the deer will be the question in Farmington Hills Monday night.
The Farmington Hills City Council wants to pass a Resolution for Deer Management, and will tonight be considering proposed plans to curb the overpopulation of deer in the city.
The city has been discussing some options: starting an organized professional deer cull in 2026, or adding a regulated archery hunting program in the future.
A cull would add sharpshooters in the city, while a hunting program would allow bow and crossbow hunting in Farmington Hills.
Supporters say hunting could also grow interest in the sport, which has been on the decline for years.
According to a story by Hometownlife.com, Bryan Farmer, deputy director of special services in Farmington Hills, said aerial surveys shows Farmington Hills has areas with up to 80 deer per square mile — which is much higher than what the Michigan DNR recommends.
Farmer told Hometownlife that deer-vehicle collisions are on the rise in Oakland County, with a record 2,125 crashes involving the animals in 2023. “Of course there is opposition and people against harming the deer, but when it comes to managing parks and invasive species, we have a lot of responsibility,” Farmer added.
The April 28 meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. It's been moved to the Hawk Community Center on 12 Mile Rd. west of Middlebelt, due to high interest and the expected increase in turnout. The public can watch a livestream of the meeting at this link.
Deer culls are not a new thing in Southeast Michigan. Several hundred deer have been culled in Ann Arbor since hunters were first hired in that city in 2016, and the Huron-Clinton Metroparks have been conducting culls off-and-on as part of a deer management program since 1999.