It's approaching the time frame when the cities of Farmington Hills and Southfield, Michigan, are expected to start deer cull efforts that could include sharpshooters and archery hunts. 

That being said, neither Oakland County city has announced dates as to when those efforts will start. 

The planned efforts among the Metro Detroit suburbs are intended to help reduce the wild deer population, a scenario that some say has resulted in both a nuisance and a safety concern. A report to the Farmington Hills City Council in March 2025 showed that 621 vehicles had collided with deer within the city limits during the previous five years. 

The Farmington Hills City Council voted in April 2025 to allow contracted professional culls two to five days a year, starting in 2026. The plan was to use U.S. Department of Agriculture sharpshooters working on city property, or on other sites where allowed by property owners. 

The number of deer to be taken will be determined in consultation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the USDA. 

All venison taken during the deer management effort in Farmington Hills will be processed and donated to food banks. 

Farmington Hills still plans to pursue the option this year, but city officials have not provided further details to local media regarding when or where. 

The city of Southfield also made plans, but the Southfield Wildlife Commission, which made the recommendation for a deer cull in 2024, has yet to respond to CBS News Detroit's inquiry about its schedule and details for the coming year. 

Both communities have been discussing options for years on how to handle the overpopulation of wild deer in residential areas. The animals have become trapped in a swimming pool and caused tree damage. 

What can property owners do?

The Southfield Wildlife Commission suggests property owners in areas where wild deer are a potential nuisance select landscaping plants that are considered "deer resistant," such as boxwood, lavender and bee balm.

Any fences that are intended to keep deer out should be at least eight feet in height, the commission said. Wind chimes and motion sprinklers can also be potentially used to deter wild deer from a specific location.

Hunting season options 

Michigan's deer hunting seasons are on specified dates for muzzleloading, archery and firearms, with the popular firearm season taking place in late November.  

Oakland County does allow archery hunting at specific county park locations on specific dates, including an extended date range for archery season, because the region is in an Urban Deer Management Zone. Firearms hunting is not allowed in Oakland County parks. 

During the 2025 season, a total of 3,590 deer were harvested and reported by hunters in Oakland County, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said. 

There were 3,973 deer harvested in the county during 2024, and 3,222 during 2023. 

The above video originally aired on April 29, 2025.