Deer Cull To Be Held In Norristown Farm Park

NORRISTOWN, PA — Norristown Farm Park will organize a deer cull this spring to help improve the park's ecosystem, limit collisions with vehicles, and prevent damage to area crops.

The cull, which is held annually, will take place throughout March and April.

It's believed there are about 90 deer currently living in the area, down sharply from 133 in 2023 and 122 in 2024. The 90 deer within the one square mile of Norristown Farm Park, however, is still about triple what wildlife biologists recommend for a healthy habitat.

The hunt this year will be conducted by "highly trained" USDA Wildlife Services personnel during the park's overnight hours, officials said. The park will be patrolled during the hunt to ensure public safety, but no impacts to local residents or park visitors are expected.

Montgomery County Parks said that the 2024 hunt produced about 1,440 pounds of venison, all of which was donated to local food banks.

The county and federal partners have conducted some form of a cull every year in the park since 2005. Such close management also helps prevent the spread of wildlife borne illnesses, officials said, including Lyme disease, epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), and chronic wasting disease (CWD), while also keeping the remaining members of the herd healthy.