Urban deer culls are planned for Farmington Hills and Southfield as soon as this month, but officials said they will not disclose to the public exactly where and when U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters will take aim at the animals.City councils from both municipalities authorized the culls last year to address an increasing deer population that they say results in increased vehicle collissions, as well as detriment to the environment and the health of the deer herd itself. The issue has been studied by the communities for over a decade.
Officials from both cities previously said the culls would happen in January or “early” 2026, with an expected cull of approximately 200 deer per community by USDA sharpshooters. The federal employees are expected to operate at night, using thermal imaging and firearm silencers, aiming downward from trees located in parks or on private land where they had been granted permission. The venison harvested will be donated to local food banks.
Southfield Mayor Ken Siver wrote in an email on Wednesday that Southfield officials “are not announcing when and where this month the cull will take place.”
“For safety reasons we do not want to draw attention to specifics of the cull,” he added. “I can say that it will take place in areas closed to the public.”
Also in an email on Wednesday, just hours before Farmington Hills Council members accepted the abrupt resignation of City Manager Gary Mekjian after a nearly six-hour special meeting, Assistant City Manager Karen Mondora said the deer management plan would be implemented between January and March.
“For safety and operational reasons, the city does not release daily or real‑time schedules,” she wrote, noting in the statement that the plan was consistent with recommendations from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the USDA. “These activities are conducted by trained professionals, and limiting specific timing and location information helps to ensure the safety of residents, staff, and contractors, while also supporting the effectiveness of the program.”
Mondora said a report would be available following the completion of “this year’s deer management efforts.”
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: 2 Oakland County cities plan to kill 400 deer soon, but officials mum on details
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
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