Controlled Bow Hunting Opens September 28, 2024

Autumn is one of many people’s favorite seasons. Cooler temperatures, drier weather, changing leaves and fewer insects make it a fantastic time to enjoy a nice hike on the trails. The season also marks the start of our deer management program.

Within Cincinnati Parks, the Division of Natural Resources is responsible for the protection and conservation of our “green infrastructure”. This includes natural areas such as our forests, individual park trees, and other greenspaces throughout the city. Ultimately, our mission is to preserve and enhance these spaces for current and future generations to enjoy.

One of the greatest challenges facing the forests within our park system is the loss of young tree seedlings and spring wildflowers due to over-browsing caused by an overpopulation of white-tailed deer. Left unmanaged, the lack of young trees in our forest will prevent them regenerating and being around for future generations. This not only impacts wildlife, but our own natural heritage as well.

White-tailed deer are considered a keystone species. Keystone species are those which have a disproportionate effect on the ecosystem, and whose absence or overabundance can cause drastic changes to the ecosystem. White-tailed beer are browsers, which means they typically eat the young vegetation and twigs of shrubs and small trees. However, they will also eat a wide range of other plant material. Without the presence of natural predators such as mountain lions, wolves, and black bears, white-tailed deer populations are only limited by the availability of food, disease, and deer-vehicle collisions. This can ultimately result in sickly deer populations, damaged ecosystems, increased risk to automobile drivers, and the loss of many sensitive plant species from our forests. Eventually, even the forests themselves can be threatened as young trees are unable to grow up and replace the older generations.

Click here for Park hunting maps

Controlled Bow Hunting

Because of the negative environmental impacts caused by an unmanaged deer population, the Cincinnati Park Board has been actively managing the deer herd in select parks since 2007.

Since then, the Parks' controlled bow hunting program has become well established within that state as a model for other agencies and boasts an exemplary safety record. We also aim to continually improve our program both in terms of effectiveness and to remain current with the latest research and recommendations from experts in the field. To this end, we have worked closely with both the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife and the Great Parks of Hamilton County to share resources, knowledge, and expertise.

It is well supported that deer overpopulation has severe and long-lasting impacts on an ecosystem, up to potentially interrupting natural forest regeneration processes. This is why similar deer management programs operate in park systems throughout the country including the US National Park Service, the Ohio State Parks, and the Great Parks of Hamilton County.

Outreach & Park Access

The program garners significant interest from park users. Over the years, staff have continuously addressed concerns regarding safety, humaneness, and effectiveness. Community feedback, and consultation with other programs and also state recommendations, have resulted in changes to our policies regarding trail closures during management season which have resulted in both increased park access by the public while simultaneously maintaining high safety standards. These include strict guidelines regarding “no-hunting” buffer zones of 10 yards around trails and 30 yards around park boundaries and also requiring hunters to be set up facing away from these buffer zones.

Each year prior to the start of hunting season Cincinnati Parks provides outreach to community members who use parks via social media to seek feedback. We also provide a list of parks and maps of the deer management zones within them. Additionally, in parks with active deer management signage is placed at all major entrances and parking areas during deer management season to provide additional awareness to visitors.

Public comments and concerns are always appreciated, considered, and utilized to implement new strategies to improve park user experience.

Safety

All hunters who wish to participate in our program must pass an annual mandatory archery skills test at our qualification event which is typically held in July. At qualification, a hunter must successfully place four of five shots within a ten-inch target from 20 yards away using either a crossbow, compound, or traditional bow. Additionally, hunters who successfully pass the skills test also receive additional training regarding the Park Board’s hunting regulations and safety requirements and the expectations of them as participants in our program.

Hunting season starts September 28, 2024 and ends February 2, 2025. Cincinnati Parks is proud of the success achieved in improving our forests, is grateful for our deer management volunteers, and looks forward to another successful season!

Click here to find a full list of parks and maps of controlled bow hunting zones.

There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you stay safe while hiking:

Be Aware. Whenever enjoying our parks be mindful of your surrounding including the other recreational activities taking place in the forest. If you do not feel comfortable hiking in a hunting zone, review each parks trails and maps section to view the controlled bow hunting areas if applicable to that location.

Be Seen. Bright colors are encouraged all year round to improve visibility while enjoying our hiking trails. Not only are they fashionable, but bright clothing also makes it easier for rescue personnel to locate you if you were to become lost, sick, or injured while on trails.

Be Smart. Stay on marked trails. All hunting zones have been set at least 30 feet away from marked trails. Staying on trails also ensures you are not damaging our sensitive natural environment and keeps our impacts in the forest to a minimum.

Dogs on leash. Dogs are permitted on park trails while on a 6 ft leash, with the exception of California Woods Nature Preserve which does not allow dogs. For their safety and the health of our forests, keep your dog on a leash at all times when hiking the trails.