YOUNGSTOWN — Fifteen more deer were harvested over the last two weeks in Mill Creek MetroParks — 11 two weeks ago and four more last week, bringing the total number so far killed by hunters since Sept. 29 to 108.

Adding onto that the 75 deer that were removed by U.S. Department of Agriculture-employed sharpshooters in Mill Creek Park this fall brings the total number of deer removed so far this season to 183.

Last year, 204 deer were removed from the Mill Creek MetroParks through hunting and USDA sharpshooting.

Nick Derico, natural resources manager for the MetroParks, said no additional deer were removed by sharpshooters during the past two weeks, as MetroParks officials “do not anticipate” having sharpshooters remove any more deer this season from Mill Creek Park. The MetroParks’ permit for removal by sharpshooters expires at the end of March.

Derico said archery hunts have ended at most locations in the Mill Creek MetroParks, and firearm hunts will begin Saturday.

The exceptions are that archery-only hunts will continue uninterrupted through the end of January in Huntington Woods and Hitchcock Woods, both in Boardman.

At the MetroParks Farm, archery hunts ended Saturday. No firearm hunts will take place there.

At the following parks, archery hunts ended Saturday and firearm hunts are to begin Nov. 30 on Saturdays and Sundays: Collier Preserve, Mill Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, Springfield Forest, Hawkins Marsh, Vickers Nature Preserve and Sawmill Creek Preserve.

Meanwhile, a case involving a petition filed in Mahoning County Probate Court asking for the Mill Creek MetroParks board members to be removed is still awaiting a decision from a visiting judge.

Retired Carroll County Common Pleas Court Judge John Campbell heard testimony from members of the Save the Deer of Mill Creek Park group, Mill Creek MetroParks Board members and Aaron Young, MetroParks executive director, Aug. 28 in the Mahoning County Courthouse.

The hearing was in response to a petition filed by the deer group asking for the removal of park board members for their handling of the deer reduction plan they carried out starting last year and for other issues.

Mahoning County Probate Court Judge Robert Rusu Jr. recused himself from hearing the matter, and the Ohio Supreme Court appointed Campbell to hear it.

At the end of the August hearing, Judge Campbell said he would take the testimony and arguments under advisement and rule later. No new filings have taken place in the case since written closing arguments were filed by the attorneys and exhibits used in the hearing were filed Sept. 12.