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.”…