Hunting in North Dakota: 4 Things to Know About Urban Deer Hunting in Cities and Suburbs

Think deer hunt and you think of trekking through the fields and woods in search of a magnificent buck, but North Dakota has joined the growing list of states that enlist hunters' aid in controlling the populations of deer that wander into cities and suburbs. Here are 4 things to know about urban hunting in North Dakota.

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1. Know When the Seasons Occur
City governments in Bismarck and Fargo, along with a section of private land just outside each city, have declared special urban deer bowhunting seasons for the fall and winter of 2015-16, according to the North Dakota governor's annual deer hunting proclamation.

2. Determine What Permits are Necessary
Licenses are available from each city's local North Dakota Game and Fish Department offices, and additional special permits are needed in each city. Fargo issues a city deer management permit, while Bismarck requires a trespass permit available from the police chief, according to the governor's deer proclamation.

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3. Deep Population Must Be Kept in Check
Deer in urban and suburban areas raise safety concerns on the road – hitting a deer can cause heavy damage to a car and serious, sometimes fatal, injury to the people inside. Deer also cause damage to homes, lawns and gardens. Fargo radio station KFGO noted that city started its Red River Corridor deer bowhunting program after residents complained about the damage deer were doing to their yards. KFGO noted in March 2015 that Fargo bowhunters had taken 182 deer since the program began in 2006. The take in 2014-15 was 35 deer, which the station called "no record, but close."

4. Are There Any Other Animals to Hunt in Urban Areas?
Fargo added wild turkeys to its urban hunt after they became a nuisance in neighborhoods on the north side, KFGO reported, though that hunt hasn't been nearly as successful, at least from a turkey-thinning standpoint: Only three were reported killed in 2014-15.

Jackrabbits are also becoming a nuisance in parts of Fargo but, as of February 2015, there was no formal consideration of an urban jackrabbit hunt, according to Inforum.com. 

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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