Mill Creek Park has long been a sanctuary—for wildlife and for the people who cherish it. But now, that sanctuary is under threat.

A controversial deer kill program approved in 2023 has already resulted in the death of more than 400 deer, many killed by paid USDA sharpshooters using bait near golf courses and residential areas. Some of the deer were fawns. Others were wounded and left to suffer near neighborhoods. Property owners have reported restricted access and safety concerns. And all of this is being justified by wildlife data that experts say is inflated, unverified, and misleading.

The original population estimate claimed 387 deer per square mile—numbers that have been publicly disputed by conservationists, park neighbors, and even a former ODNR officer. In just one year, estimates dropped by nearly 4,000 deer without clear explanation.

Meanwhile, more than $79,000 in public funds has already been spent on surveys, fencing, and lethal removals—yet questions about how the program was approved remain unanswered.

This isn’t responsible wildlife management. It’s unnecessary, opaque, and inhumane.

We’re calling on the Mill Creek MetroParks Board of Commissioners and Executive Director Aaron Young to:

• Immediately suspend the deer reduction program and all lethal activities in the park.
• Release full data and methodology behind the population surveys and USDA contracts.
• Hold a public hearing to re-evaluate the program with meaningful community input.
• Transition to humane, science-based solutions that protect Mill Creek’s ecosystem without mass killing.

Mill Creek Park belongs to the entire community—human and animal. We deserve transparency, compassion, and ethical stewardship of our shared green space.

Sign this petition to stop the deer kill program and protect the wildlife that makes Mill Creek Park a place worth saving.