Four national parks in Maryland and the District of Columbia recently concluded annual operations to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer. Two Civil War battlefields, a 5,810-acre hardwood mountain forest, and a national park in the heart of the nation’s capital donated more than 14,000 pounds of venison to local non-profits that serve those in need.

Three Western Maryland national parks this month concluded operations to reduce overabundant white-tailed deer that threaten the historic scenery of two Civil War battlefields and a 5,810-acre hardwood mountain forest. This season, more than eight tons of venison were donated to the local Maryland Food Bank, the Thurmont Food Bank, the Help Hotline and the Lunch Place soup kitchen.

In an effort to improve visitor access, safety, and interpretation at the site of the “bloodiest one-day battle in American history,” Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland plans to update the automobile tour and trail system to better incorporate land added to the park.

Gunshots could soon be echoing across the Antietam, Monocacy, and Manassas national battlefields near the nation's capital as National Park Service personnel work to bring down populations of white-tailed deer that are far above numbers that can interfere with natural revegetation on the landscape.