Mill Creek Metroparks Deer survey results available

Editor's Note: This story has been corrected to add data from the latest survey.

The 2024 Infrared Deer Survey results are now available here.

Thermal Signare data shows that the average number of deer per sq.mile within park boundaries is 187 for all parks and an additional 137 within the 300-400 buffer zone near the park.

The accuracy of the survey was listed as 85 percent.

All parks included in this survey include:

Central:

• Mill Creek Park
• Hitchcock Woods
• Huntington Woods
• Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary
• Collier Preserve

East:

• McGuffey Wildlife Preserve
• Yellow Creek Park
• Springfield Forest
• Cranberry Run Headwaters

West:

• Vickers Nature Preserve
• Sebring Woods
• Egypt Swamp Preserve
• Sawmill Creek Preserve
• Metroparks Farm
• Hawkins Marsh

The survey used thermal technology to account for the deer within the parks. A class II airplane flew over the areas that were analyzed for deer and helped produce the results that are now available. 

The recommended density for the deer population is 10-20 deer per sq. mile.