WASHINGTON - Sharpshooters could soon be allowed inside Rock Creek Park to take aim at a huge population of deer.

They make look sweet and lovable, but they're nothing more than a nuisance to Christopher Ritzert, who says his yard "is overrun with dear."

Ritzert, a Northwest resident, has lived in his home which borders Rock Creek Park for 10 years and watched the deer population explode. According to Ritzert, the mammals eat his plants, relieve themselves in his yard and can even be dangerous.

"I once opened the front door of my house and a deer ran. I startled it. It ran and hit a brand new car that was driving down the street, so it is a problem," Ritzert said. "It really has gotten out of hand."

As a result, The National Park Service is considering allowing sharpshooters to kill deer and help cut the herd in this 3000-acre park, where hunting is prohibited.

"We are not talking about public hunting, that's not something that we are considering at all. But if that is an option that we implement it would be done by professional sharpshooters," said Adrienne Coleman, National Park Service.

According to the Park Service, in 2006 there were 58 deer per square mile, one year later the population jumped to 82 deer per square mile - four times the desired amount.

The Humane Society of the United States opposes the proposed hunt saying the overpopulation is due to the Park Service, ignoring the problem for more than a decade.

"It's been too long. It's been too slow a process. It's taken them a long time to even get around to proposed alternatives and we don't think the deer should suffer for that," said John Hadidian, United States Humane Society.

A public meeting regarding the overpopulation of deer will be held at The Rock Creek Park Nature Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2nd.

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