Deer Program
About Us
In the past, white-tailed deer across the U.S. were almost extinct. In the late 1900s, deer herds began to recover. Today, many
deer herds have grown too large and are starting to cause problems. The City of Baltimore is no exception. As deer herds grow in Baltimore, they affect our parks and surrounding neighborhoods. An overabundance of deer can cause many problems. They can damage property, collide with vehicles, and harm forests. The City of Baltimore wants to decrease these kinds of problems with its new Deer Program.
The new Deer Program will initially focus on seven parks:
- Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
- Powder Mill Park
- Hanlon Park
- Herring Run Park
- Druid Hill Park
- Farring Baybrook Park
- Moore's Run Park
The Deer Program hopes to help other parks in the future. The Deer Program also aims to:
- Balance the needs of park forests and the deer that use them.
- Decrease conflicts between humans and deer.
- Increase residents' involvement in making deer-related decisions.
Original photo by Mara Koenig/USFWS
The Deer Program will take several steps to achieve each of those aims:
Step | Anticipated Timeframe |
|---|---|
Survey Baltimore residents | Ealy Summer 2025 |
Meet with park “Friends-of” groups | June 2025 |
Conduct Public information sessions | July 2025 |
Conduct focus groups | August 2025 |
Organize community engagement | Ongoing |
Install a forest restoration fence in Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park | Fall 2025 |
Count deer in designated parks | Annually (Oct.–Mar.) |
Develop Baltimore’s deer management plan | Sept.–Dec. 2025 |
Initiate management strategies | 2026–Thereafter |
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Original photo by National Park Service
Community Examples
Many U.S. communities have issues with deer. Yet, they each have their own way of choosing a solution.
Below, you can learn more about these communities:
Cornell University List of Communities (https://deeradvisor.dnr.cornell.edu/community-examples)
Montgomery County, Maryland (https://montgomeryparks.org/caring-for-our-parks/wildlife/montgomery-parks-deer-population-management/)
Fairfax County, Virginia (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/wildlife/deer-management-program)
Arlington, Virginia (https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Project-Types/Parks-Projects/Deer-Management-Program)
Anne Arundel County, Maryland (https://www.aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks/popular-activities/deer-management)
Cleveland, Ohio (https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/about/conservation/current-issues/deer-management)
Deer Count
Baltimore City understands that it has an abundance of deer, but how many are really in our parks and surrounding green spaces? Thankfully, the deer program is equipped to answer that very question. In early 2025, the deer program utilized thermal imaging equipment along pre-determined routes to count the number of deer using eight parks and the green areas surrounding them. Additionally, the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services conducted a similar deer count in April 2015 for three city parks using thermal imaging equipment and spotlights. Our deer management program will continue to perform deer counts annually between the months of October and March. Each count helps our program identify the minimum number of deer that utilize our park spaces, which can help inform management decisions and track population changes through time. Below are the findings:
Place | Acres | 2015 Count | 2025 Count | 2015 Deer per Mile² | 2025 Deer per Mile² | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Druid Hill | 607.34 | 70 | 115 | 73.76 | 121.18 | 64.3% |
Gwynns Falls/Leakin | 993.53 | 102 | 134 | 65.71 | 86.32 | 31.4% |
Hanlon | 85.24 | - | 25 |
| 187.71 | - |
Powder Mill | 77.41 | - | 32 |
| 264.57 | - |
Herring Run | 387.91 | - | 44 |
| 72.59 | - |
Moore’s Run | 68.86 | - | 17 |
| 158.00 | - |
Fort Armistead | 37.42 | - | 2 |
| 34.21 | - |
Farring Baybrook | 91.18 | - | 9 |
| 63.17 | - |
Jones Falls Trail | 135.71 | - | 18 |
| 84.89 | - |
Cylburn Arboretum | 237.57 | 22 | - | 59.27 |
| - |
Forest Park Golf Course | 178.06 | - | 28 |
| 100.64 | - |
FOREST RESTORATION FENCE DETAILS
In fall 2025, the Deer Program will build a tall, 15-acre forest restoration fence in Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park. The fence will keep deer out and protect forest plants growing inside. After a few years, the forest inside the fence will get healthier. But the forest outside will still suffer damage from deer in the absence of management. Park visitors will still be able to go inside the area using gates to enjoy the forested space and the trail within. Visitors who go inside the fence can watch the forest as it recovers from years of harmful deer damage and may be able to help the Deer Program track changes with engaging citizen science opportunities.
Additional Online Resources
- Maryland Deer Management Website
- State Deer Hunting Regulations
- Community Deer Advisor
- Wildlife Problems Page
- Sick and Injured Wildlife
- Rescuing Young Wildlife
- Deer Fawn Facts
- White-tailed Deer Biology
- Baltimore Police Ordinances
- Ornamental Plants Fact Sheet
- Repellents Fact Sheet
- Landowner Liability and Recreational Access
- Deer Populations and Forests
- Connecticut Technical Guide
- Maryland Technical Guide
- Suburban Deer Management Guide
- New Jersey Technical Guide
Contact Us
If you have any questions for our team, please contact us at: deer.program@baltimorecity.gov