Two urban deer taken by the author on one afternoon's hunt.

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  Urban deer control by hunters has been widely recognized as an effective and efficient tool for reducing deer populations near metropolitan areas. States like Ohio, Missouri, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Montana and Pennsylvania have policies for allowing hunters to help reduce urban deer populations.  Other states, cities and towns are considering such programs.

  These programs have been successful with deer reductions on the order of 50 percent being reported from some areas of Missouri.

  The need for deer population reductions are to reduce vehicle-deer collisions, reduce the potential of the deer transmitting Lyme disease and other vectors, reduce attacks by rut-crazy bucks, save endangered plants,  decrease the amount of browse on gardens and ornamental plantings and improve the health of the deer.

Death from starvation and disease are the result of overly concentrated deer populations.

  Overpopulation stresses food resources, increases the chances of disease transmission from deer to deer with the result that starving deer must forage more which increases the potential for vehicle hits. Each year in the U.S. there are some 1,000,000 deer-vehicle strikes, 10,000 injuries to people and about 100 deaths. Airbags often deploy when a deer is struck, and the driver no longer has control over the vehicle which could plunge off the road or into on-coming traffic.

 Archery hunting using bows and crossbows shot from elevated tree stands is often the best tool to use. All of the shots are directed towards the ground, these stands offer good visibility and many hunters are already using these types of stands.

 Arrow shot, or even gunshot, deer do not often fall in their tracks.

Ask before you retrieve.

 They will run and die 30 to 150 yards away. In urban areas they might expire on someone else’s property. Most people would not want a deer rotting in their driveway; however it is trespass to enter onto someone else’s property without permission. Talk to your neighbours and get permission prior to your hunting.

  To give faster kills so that the deer will not run as far, I use points with very wide cutting arms like the Grim Reaper with extra-long blades (see earlier posts) for taking small, close-range deer.

  For more information see posts on my books, Backyard Deer Hunting: Converting deer to dinner for pennies per pound  and  Crossbow Hunting.

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