Finding whitetail concentrations is one of the true ironies of deer hunting. Many of us belong to hunting clubs, scout extensively, even travel to neighboring states to find that special whitetail sanctuary when there are deer-crossing signs in our neighborhoods telling us exactly where whitetails hang out and in such numbers they are a public menace. These suburban whitetails often thrive on publicly owned land and may grow into trophy bucks. Jeremy Flinn takes a close look at this phenomenon in this post from Grand View Outdoors.
In an effort to reduce “negative” attention around weapons to harvest deer, city officials look toward experimental programs like contraception or “covert ops” sharpshooters. But more recently, many have actually started to give hunters, particularly bowhunters, the opportunity to perform a vital role and manage these local herds. City officials like to keep these programs low-key to avoid unnecessary protests or concerns from local residents, so many bowhunters fail to realize these opportunities exist in their home woods.
Opportunities
Most metropolitans or cities with high whitetail and human populations have some sort of city archery program. These programs are usually on several properties, but none bigger than a couple hundred acres. From waste-management land to city-owned parks, these properties often offer some excellent opportunities for local bowhunters to chase down mature city bucks.
Because the acreage is usually small, city-land programs typically regulate use. For some, it may be controlled by a draw system in which a certain number of hunters are selected to take part in the hunting. Others simply require a class to receive an open permit to hunt the city lands enrolled in the program. Either way it is fairly easy and, based on the potential reward, well worth the time. [continued]
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