The Ohio Department of Natural Resources owns all deer in Ohio and will not allow the Parks to handle them except as part of a legitimate research study.
The sterilization study is research to solve a real world problem: the destruction of eco-systems by overabundant deer.
The study is examining whether, given deer migration patterns and natural mortality rates, non-lethal methods can be effective for reducing deer populations in open urban environments.
The research study submitted to ODNR for approval can be seen here.
In addition to the research being conducted by White Buffalo, Inc., Clifton residents and local experts plan to monitor the impact of deer browsing on invasive species and native flora using deer exclusion pens in Rawson Woods. Discussion and results can be found in the Eco-Systems section of this website.