Arlington’s deer culling operations began this month with sharpshooting in parks along the Potomac River and Four Mile Run corridors.
For security reasons, the county doesn’t announce the specific dates and times of the culls in advance. However, Jerry Solomon, spokesperson for the Department of Parks and Recreation, told ARLnow that they will continue through March at eight natural land parks:
A new program using sharpshooters to control Arlington’s deer population is firing up in the new year.
The hunting operation, which will take place in the Four Mile Run area and in some wooded parks north of Langston Blvd, may cause some parks to close an hour or two early some evenings this February as professional sharpshooters armed with sound-suppressed rifles take their place in tree stands.
The Arlington government’s budget woes likely won’t be severe enough to impact new deer-culling efforts.
The $151,000 proposed in County Manager Mark Schwartz’s draft fiscal 2026 budget “will fund these efforts,” Department of Parks and Recreation director Jane Rudolph told County Board members at a Feb. 27 budget work session.
Deer culling efforts are unlikely to get off the ground in Falls Church any time soon, city leaders indicated this week.
“There’s no evidence that there’s an overpopulation of deer,” the city’s animal-control officer, James Overholt, told City Council members during a Monday night work session.
Could 2025 be the year Falls Church city leaders decide to allow culling of deer within the community’s 2.2 square miles?
There were hints at a recent meeting that some in top leadership ranks are interested in at least starting a conversation.
Arlington leaders have taken the last procedural step required to begin the culling of deer on public land across the county.
County Board members on Saturday (Nov. 16) voted 5-0 for zoning-ordinance changes that will permit sharpshooters to begin dealing with what Arlington officials say is an overpopulation of deer.
Final action on policies related to deer-culling, towing and residential-to-commercial conversions will be on the agenda when Arlington County Board members meet this Saturday (Nov. 16).
At the meeting, Board members are slated to take final action on zoning changes required to permit the use of sharpshooters to kill deer on public lands in the county.
Arlington County Board members are expected to take another step toward the culling of deer in the county.
Board members are slated to approve a public hearing, likely to be held Nov. 16, to make changes to the county code allowing for the use of professional sharpshooters on public land.
Arlington County staff are recommending hiring professional sharpshooters to reduce local deer populations.
The Dept. of Parks and Recreation’s draft recommendations on how to prevent white-tailed deer herds from causing further harm to Arlington ecosystems, released last week, follow a new consultant report on potential deer management methods.
This month’s Mike Mount creation references the ongoing debate over if and how to cull deer in Arlington.
Coincidentally, the Arlington County Civic Federation is holding an online town hall on the topic tonight, from 7-8 p.m. The deer decision has prompted strong feelings among those in favor of a cull, by sharpshooters or otherwise, and those who want non-lethal options.
The concentration of deer in Arlington’s parks is up to 16 times above desired levels, based on a newly released analysis of county data.
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) has raised doubts about the new numbers, which county staff revealed at a virtual information session last Thursday. What the numbers mean for Arlington’s much-debated deer management strategy remains to be seen.
Arlington County will kick off the New Year with the next phase of engagement on its forthcoming plan to manage its deer population.
A study found two years ago that Arlington’s deer population exceeds healthy levels, with the county’s forested areas home to about 20 and 39 deer per square. About 1.5 years ago, the Dept. of Parks and Recreation began considering a management plan in response.
