Deer management, or herd culling, is scheduled to start in late January for several national parks and historic battlefields in Maryland and Virginia, according to the National Park Service.
The deer management will start Jan. 30 and continue through April 30 at Catoctin Mountain Park; the Antietam and Monocacy national battlefields; the Manassas National Battlefield Park; the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park; and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in West Virginia.
Culling overabundant populations of deer promotes native plant restoration and helps preserve historic landscapes, the National Park Service said in a news release.
Large deer populations create “unhealthy forests,” according to the park service, because deer like to eat tree seedlings and when they eat too many, forests can’t regenerate.
That creates opportunities for invasive species to thrive, harming birds and other wildlife.
Biologists employed by U.S. Department of Agriculture who are also “highly trained firearm experts” will work at night when parks are typically closed, the park service said. The biologists will work under the direction of natural resource management specialists at the park service and will coordinate with law enforcement.
The park service will also occasionally close park areas. Visitors and nearby residents are encouraged to check their local national park’s website for up-to-date information and are reminded to respect closing times. Hunting is illegal in these national parks.
Whenever possible, meat from deer reduction activities at national parks goes to food assistance providers, the park service said. Last year, national parks in Virginia and Maryland donated over 7,000 pounds of venison.
The park service said its deer management operations have produced positive results. Since 2010, for example, Catoctin Mountain Park has seen a 19-fold increase in seedling density, according to the park service.
