Syracuse Begins Annual Deer Cull to Reduce Crashes and Tick Illness

Syracuse’s annual deer cull is officially underway, and residents may notice increased activity in certain neighborhoods over the coming months.

According to the Mayor’s Office, the city’s deer management program began December 15, 2025, and will continue through March 2026 as part of Syracuse’s ongoing Tick and Deer Management Plan.

Why Syracuse Conducts a Deer Cull Each Winter

The program is designed to reduce several ongoing issues tied to an overpopulation of deer, including:

• Vehicle and deer collisions

• Damage to parks, yards, and green spaces

• The spread of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease

Syracuse is not alone in these efforts. Similar deer management programs are also taking place in nearby communities working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including Camillus, Solvay, DeWitt, Fayetteville, and Manlius.

How and Where the Deer Cull Is Conducted

The work is carried out by specially trained USDA sharpshooters and follows strict guidelines set by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Sharpshooters operate only at night, from dusk until dawn, and only on approved sites located on the east, west, and south sides of the city. All locations are either private property with explicit written permission from the owner or areas that are closed to public access during operations.

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City officials stress that no wildlife management personnel should be on private property without permission. Residents are encouraged to call 911 if they observe suspicious activity on public or private property at any time.

Venison Donations and How to Get Involved

All meat from culled deer is processed and donated to the Food Bank of Central New York. To date, the program has provided 16,500 pounds of venison, equating to roughly 60,000 meals.

Residents interested in becoming a city deer diarist can contact the Mayor’s Office at mayor@syr.gov or call Cityline at (315) 448-CITY (2489).

Property owners who want their land considered for deer management activities can contact the Syracuse Parks Department at (315) 473-4330 or parks@syrgov.net.

Between January and March 2025, 137 deer were culled in city neighborhoods, the second-highest total since the program began in 2019.