Metro Parks will host gun and archery deer hunts at selected parks for successful lottery applicants (2024)

KEVIN KASNYIK
Resource Manager

THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Managing wildlife and habitats is of the utmost importance to resource managers in Metro Parks. Keeping wildlife populations in balance allows all plants and animals to thrive and provides the park experience the public enjoys.

Since 1984, Metro Parks has implemented a deer management program to control deer populations throughout the Metro Parks system. The objectives are to maintain healthy populations of white-tailed deer, maintain biological diversity of plants and animals within the parks, and minimize deer vehicle collisions in and around park boundaries.

LOTTERY HUNTS

For many years, Metro Parks has hosted deer gun season lottery hunts at both Clear Creek and Slate Run Metro Parks. These will again be offered to hunters in 2024. In addition, Metro Parks will offer controlled deer archery hunts at five parks, namely Battelle Darby Creek, Chestnut Ridge, Pickerington Ponds, Rocky Fork and Slate Run.

Metro Parks is seeking applicants via a lottery system to participate in these controlled hunts. Interested hunters may apply by completing online lottery forms which will be available on the Metro Parks website from July 1–31, 2024, and can be accessed from links in this article.

Hunters may apply for the deer archery hunts and the deer gun hunts and will be entered into a lottery drawing. Application forms must be completed by July 31, 2024. Successful applicants will be notified via email no later than August 5, 2024.

CLEAR CREEK METRO PARK DEER HUNT

Clear Creek will again close for three days of deer gun season, Monday December 2, Tuesday December 3, and Wednesday December 4, 2024, for the controlled deer hunt as part of our overall wildlife management program. Interested hunters can apply through the link provided below and around 100 will be drawn to participate. Both the selected hunter and their partner will be permitted to bring a youth hunter, aged 17 years and younger. The application form includes additional information. Applications must be completed by July 31, 2024.

CLEAR CREEK APPLICATION FORM

SLATE RUN METRO PARK DEER HUNT

Slate Run will close for two days on Monday December 2 and Tuesday December 3, 2024 for the controlled deer hunt. We encourage all interested hunters to apply. Approximately 30 hunters will be randomly drawn to participate in this wildlife management program. Both the selected hunter and their partner will be permitted to bring a youth hunter, aged 17 years and younger. The application form includes additional information. Applications must be completed by July 31, 2024.

SLATE RUN APPLICATION FORM

DEER ARCHERY HUNTS

Metro Parks will offer archery hunting lotteries in the following parks: Battelle Darby Creek, Chestnut Ridge, Pickerington Ponds, Rocky Fork and Slate Run. The number of participants at each location will be specific to the needs of each park. Interested hunters can choose any or all the five parks on their application, but successful participants will be selected for one location only.

Successful applicants must demonstrate proficiency as archers during the month of August at Scioto Grove Metro Park archery range. Participants will then attend an orientation at their selected park where specific locations and dates for the archery hunts will be assigned. The application form includes additional information. Applications must be completed by July 31, 2024.

DEER ARCHERY HUNTS APPLICATION FORM

REMINDER
Applications for all lottery hunts must be received by July 31, 2024 and winners of the electronic drawing will be notified by August 5. All state rules and hunting laws apply.