PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — News 5 continues to Follow-Through on the stories that are impacting you and your community.
We don’t just report the initial story—we follow through to its conclusion. Read and watch our previous reporting on this story below and see more stories that we've followed through on here.
News 5 told you all about the growing deer problem in Parma Heights over the last several years.
The deer were everywhere.
Residents found the deer in their yards, police reported an increase in traffic accidents due to the deer and many of them caused property damage.
The city introduced a white-tailed deer culling program to thin the herd.
City leaders and residents say the program is working.
They culled 80 deer this past season.
There seems to be far less running around already.
Despite some push back, there has been an overwhelming level of support due to overall public safety and health concerns caused by the deer.
"Crazy up here! Got deer that we gotta fight off the front porch. They'll come right up here and take my plants off the front porch," Tom Fusillo, of Parma Heights, said.
Standing in his front yard, Fusillo says he's often felt like he was living on a nature preserve along Edgebrook Boulevard in Parma Heights.
"Ridiculous! I've had eight, 10, 12 deer in this front yard at a time," Fusillo said.
He says he's even spotted 14-point bucks.
Moving from Stark County to Parma Heights, he never expected his place to be overrun by so many deer.
Now, he says there is some relief after the city began culling deer.
"It's a great program! And they need to do more of it," Fusillo said.
News 5 followed through and sat down with city leaders after we initially covered the deer problems back in the fall of 2022 and the initial deer culling roll-out.
"We have now seen a decrease in car vs deer accidents. Our service department are picking up less deer, so it's been effective over the first two years," Mayor Marie Gallo, City of Parma Heights, said.
Over six weeks, trained Parma Heights Police Officer sharpshooters culled 80 deer in 2023.
That's in comparison to the prior year's 94 deer.
"We've actually partnered with the Metroparks which has been very positive and it's a regional issue. People should realize that. We're hoping Middleburg Heights starts a deer culling program. Parma has," Steve Scharschmidt, Parma Heights Public Safety Director, said.
Officers targeted problem spots across the area like the Reservoir Park where they got more than 30 deer, the former ice rink space by the police station, and Nathan Hale Park which will soon re-open to the public after catch basin upgrades are completed.
"We always have a safety officer, and the residents were thanking them for making certain that they have been culling in that area. They've seen a difference," Tanya Czack, Parma Heights Police, Chief said.
News 5 returned to the once highly populated Vicksburg Drive where Rudolph Murn was completely over the deer destroying his property back in 2022.
Fast forward to 2024—our cameras didn't capture any deer in the area.
Gallo says this is all part of an intricate 10 year plan and the number of culled deer will ultimately drop over time.
The city worked hand-in-hand with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.
Officials stress the ultimate goal is to stabilize the deer population not eliminate them.
The plan is to cull 70 deer this 2024 calendar year.
That number will drop to 65 in 2025.
"Over the 10 year plan, the amount of deer we get every year should decrease," Gallo said.
All of the venison from the culling has since been donated and put to good use and given to folks in the area who signed up.
"We fed veterans. Most of the people on the list are residents, so these are older people who can't hunt anymore, we're feeding people," Scharschmidt said.
"Overall I think this program has done great things for the city," Czack said.
Scharschmidt reports there have been fewer traffic accidents involving deer, less found on the side of the road, and less property damage since the culling program began.
In the meantime, if there's a story you want us to follow-through on, send an e-mail to mike.holden@wews.com.
Put "We-Follow Through" in the subject line.
