How has the City reduced the deer population?

In the winter of 2021 and 2022, the City entered into a Cooperative Services Agreement with USDA Wildlife Services over to conduct professional deer removal operations in East Lansing's parks. USDA Wildlife Services biologists highly trained in the use of firearms removed a total of 144 deer over the two winters from a variety of City parks during intermittent weekday evening/night closures. Parks were closed during the operations and the firearms used had noise suppression, but residents near parks were advised that they may still hear shots. 

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1. Why is the City of East Lansing (City) reducing the deer population?
2. How has the City reduced the deer population?
3. What happens with the venison from the removal?
4. What is done to ensure safety?
5. I didn’t think that hunting with a firearm was allowed within 450 feet of a residence without written permission of the owner. How is the City able to perform this deer removal?
6. Are there other communities in Michigan that have removed deer by firearms?
7. Will deer removal be an annual activity in East Lansing's parks?
8. How many deer have been removed each year?