Deer harvest figures in Murrysville are expected to be down this year, thanks to the municipality's deer-management program.

On Saturday, Sept. 15, Mike Maddy and 79 other hunters will take aim at Murrysville's deer population. It will mark the seventh year of the program, which is run by the Murrysville recreation department.

Maddy said the goal of the program is population control, not the elimination of all suburban deer.

Carrie Martin, administrative assistant for Murrysville recreation, said municipal officials are interested in controlling the population as much as possible but they don't set harvesting goals.

"We don't set numbers in terms of deer because that would be unrealistic," Martin said.

Hunters must pass a proficiency test before they are allowed to hunt in the program. From a tree stand, prospective hunters must hit a vital spot on three fake deer from a distance of 15, 18 and 20 yards. The test ensures that competent hunters are participating.

"I don't want someone in the woods slinging arrows," Maddy said.

By training hunters to hit vital areas, the test shows how deer can be killed humanely.

"We can't have deer running around wounded," Maddy said.

Except for Oct. 13 through Oct. 20 -- when muzzleloaders are permitted -- only archery hunting is permitted.

Maddy said the hunters should average between 60 and 80 deer a year for the next five years as a group. A high of 110 deer was reached in 2005 but Maddy doubts that number will be reached again because of the work of hunters.

"The deer population has dramatically come down," he said.

This year, hunters will spread out to areas of Murrysville Community, Duff, Townsend and Pleasant Valley parks as well as Kellman Nature Reserve and Pin Oak Open Space. Maddy said if they could take advantage of other open spaces in the municipality, the numbers of deer harvested would be even higher. Hunters can't hunt in areas that are part of the Westmoreland Conservancy, which owns 216 acres of undeveloped land in the Murrysville area.

Maddy said he hopes that one day will change because of the damage that can done to those properties.

"Deer get in and start eating the underbrush," Maddy said. "It's not good for the vegetation."

Maddy said he suspects deer have started to move into those conservancy areas and onto private property in an attempt to evade hunters. That's why he doubts he'll have to look for a new hobby anytime soon.

"After years of hunting, you start knowing what the deer are doing."