WMA - Our History

Whitetail Management Associates of Greater Pittsburgh (WMA) was formed in early 1996 by three Pittsburgh bowhunters - Rich Wingertsahn, Gary Chiurazzi, and Paul Kamenar - in response to a request for relief from the town of Bethel Park. Town officials realized that they had a serious deer overpopulation problem in their sections of South Park, with a dangerously high number of auto-deer collisions occurring on a regular basis—and they realized that closely controlled archery hunting was the only cost-effective, efficient course of action.

With the guidance of an organization in eastern Pennsylvania that conducts controlled hunts on army depots, Rich, Gary, and Paul developed a set of unique guidelines and standards aimed at finding experienced archers and integrating them quietly into the urban setting. That first year, over 100 prospective members tried out, and 28 successful archers were chosen to participate in the Bethel Park hunt. The program operated under a microscope that first year, with numerous local municipalities and private landowners waiting to see how things played out.

Unbeknownst at the time, a number of out-of-state groups were also closely watching the operation unfold, and after that first successful season we were approached by a number of individuals in neighboring states wanting to start similar organizations. Since one of our goals was to promote the truth about bowhunting while at the same time helping our community, we openly made our rules and guidelines available to anyone who asked. We still offer this today, and you will notice a number of successful organizations in places like Northern Virginia and Chicago that got their start with our proven methods.

At the conclusion of the 1996-1997 hunting season, our 28 original hunters had harvested 93 antlerless deer and 6 antlered deer, with absolutely no problems or issues with park users or property owners. Success! With each passing year, requests for hunters from property owners and municipalities has increased, and WMA hunters are now found hunting quietly in numerous townships, parks, and private urban lots throughout the Pittsburgh area.

After the first few years, both Rich and Paul moved on to other endeavors, and in 2000 Gary relocated for a job opportunity and turned leadership of the organization over to Joe McCluskey Jr. Under Joe’s leadership and guidance the organization continues to thrive, providing thousands of pounds of healthy venison for the needy each year. Perhaps most importantly, in areas where WMA operates, whitetail deer numbers are now closely aligned with both the biological and cultural carrying capacities of the area, providing much needed relief to both humans and the wildlife we live with.