Knowledge Bank

The Worthington Deer Task Force is a specialized committee in the City of Worthington, Ohio that works to address resident concerns about the increasing deer population in the community. In the fall of 2024, the Task Force tasked senior capstone students at The Ohio State University with creating a survey with the goal of educating Worthington residents on viable deer management options and to capture residents’ opinions on deer management strategies. The survey presented residents with four viable deer management options: a targeted removal program, an archery hunting program, a combination program of targeted removal and archery hunting, or no action. Infographics that contained information on the viability of nonlethal measures, targeted removal programs, and archery hunting programs were created and embedded within the survey to educate and inform respondents. The survey received a total of 2,825 responses which were then analyzed to create an informed recommendation for the Task Force. Each of the lethal deer management strategies considered alone received support from at least 60% of respondents. When asked which option they most supported, the combination strategy had the highest support with 47% of respondents in favor. Based on our results, we recommend that the Task Force consider proposing a combination of targeted removal and an archery hunting program to the City Council. It is also recommended that the Task Force emphasize the importance of transparency regarding these issues and pursue continuous education efforts.