Medina Leaders Mull Sharpshooters to Cull Deer Herd After Bow-Hunting Program Fails

City officials say they need to remove around 300 deer per year to see real results, but the archery program only yielded 114 kills last season.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 7:22pm

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After declaring two seasons of permitted bow hunting a failure, the Medina City Council signaled it will overhaul its deer-control strategy and explore using professional sharpshooters in a cordoned-off park to reduce the city's growing deer population. The archery program launched in 2024 saw hunters kill 114 deer last season, up from just 18 the prior year, but officials say that's nowhere near enough to make a dent in the herd, which a state index puts at around 956 animals.

Why it matters

Medina's deer population has led to a surge in roadkill, with the number of deer carcasses collected from public roads by city workers exploding from 17 in 2016 to 141 last year. Officials say they need to be pulling around 300 animals a year to see real results in controlling the herd, which has become a growing concern for public safety and quality of life in the city.

The details

The city launched its archery program in 2024 after voters approved a ballot measure in 2023. However, Councilman Bill Lamb, who voted against establishing the program, said it has been a failure and the city is "not going to go back and revisit two failed years of this plan." Lamb said the city will now explore how other cities have implemented sharpshooter programs to reduce deer populations, with plans to conduct operations in a cordoned-off park.

  • The archery program was launched in 2024.
  • In 2023, 58% of Medina voters approved a ballot measure to establish the archery program.
  • The most recent hunting season saw 114 deer killed, up from just 18 the prior year.
  • Deer carcass pickups climbed from 17 in 2016 to 141 last year, with 21 already recorded by early March 2026.

The players

Medina City Council

The governing body of Medina, Ohio that is exploring new strategies to control the city's growing deer population after declaring the archery program a failure.

Bill Lamb

A Medina City Councilman who voted against establishing the archery program and now says "[Bow hunting] is not working, in my mind" and the city is "not going to go back and revisit two failed years of this plan."

Feeding Medina County

A local organization that received about 800 pounds of venison from 28 deer processed and donated through the archery program.

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What they’re saying

“We are going to do this in a comprehensive way that will actually help to create a real management program.”

— Bill Lamb, Medina City Councilman

“[Bow hunting] is not working, in my mind. We have to do a little bit more. One option isn't going to do it.”

— Bill Lamb, Medina City Councilman

What’s next

Council has scheduled a briefing for March 23 with officials from Parma and Mentor, and Shaker Heights is set to present at a later date, to hear how other cities have implemented sharpshooter programs to reduce deer populations.

The takeaway

Medina's experiment with a bow-hunting program to control its growing deer herd has been deemed a failure, leading the city to explore more aggressive measures like using professional sharpshooters. This highlights the challenges municipalities face in balancing public safety, environmental concerns, and community values when it comes to managing wildlife populations in urban and suburban areas.