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In Town Deer Management Programs

OhHeyThereBen

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West Central WI
Hey all,

The city of Fargo does a deer and turkey management program to lower the populations in town. Has anyone participated in something like this in your place of residence? Any good stories? Any tips or tricks to give up? I figured that this could be a nice way to get an extra deer or two in the freezer this year and thought that some of you might have some interesting insights.

One main question I have is this: we're required to be on an elevated platform (deer stand) of no less than 10 feet in height. What do you all do to secure your stands so nobody walks away with them? Do you just get climbing stands and take them with you? Or do you lock them high enough in the tree and bring climbing sticks with you?

Thanks!
Ben
 
I have been using rubber bike (Locking) cables when i fear theft may be an option. I would advise to buy it now and let it sit outside because it smells like rubber at first!

I have also taken off the lower climbing stick off the tree if I am worried about other people sitting in my stands.

I hate climbing deer stands with a passion. The odds of finding the perfect straight tree with no limbs is unlikely. I sold the climber and bought a light hang on with climbing sticks. I find this to be more mobile and useful. All of my good permanent spots get upgraded to a ladder stands for comfort and my old man has bad knees so he can't hunt hang ons or climbers.
 
Perhaps a tree stand buddy, or similar brand.
The town in Wyoming that has a program requires the hunters to get signed up with a landowner, only they can use that property and stands on it. Maybe talk with the officials and see if they will do something similar to cut down on theft and competition for stands.
 
If it is a climber, pack it in and out especially since your in a residential area and won't have a long walk. Plus it's not hard to find one that is light weight and quick set up. If you use a loc-on and want to leave it you can use either the steps or screw in spikes and take out the bottom ones after your hunt. Those are the 3 climbing methods I use and each have their pros and cons, but will help to keep your stand safe. Unfortunately if someone wants it bad enough, they will find a way.
 
I use a climber in the Fairfax County VA Urban Archery Deer Program, but there are guys who hang ladder stands. Depends on where you are I guess if you fear theft or vandalism, but cable locks and chains are definitely a recommendation as well as some kind of tamper-proof marking such as etching your contact info into the stand just in case it goes missing and ends up for sale online.

As for the hunting, I have found that you don't have to worry about wind/scent as much. Not saying they will stand directly down-wind of you, but I'm not as careful about my entry and exit as much since they are used to human scents from the nearby streets, trails and homes. When scouting, if you can find a house with bird feeders in the back, hunt nearby ;)

At least for our program, and most that I am aware of, the focus is on taking does. We actually have an earn-a-buck system where you must take a doe before each buck. I don't pass up any good shot opportunity on does. But this does mean that the Buck-Doe Ratios are pretty good, so when you can take a buck, scent-attractants and calling work pretty well during the pre-rut and rut.

Here is my best buck taken in the County park to date:View attachment 83853
 

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I've participated in an urban hunt for quite a few years. If not for the convenience factor and the fact I have access to some decent private ground I would be done with it. Back when the program started it was run by a Parks and Rec. guy that was a hunter. Once he retired the hopes you needed to jump through increased to a point I almost can't stand. Mistakes in record keeping for the earn a buck part of it have bit me too.

The deer were stupid in the beginning. Scent really didn't matter. Now they see or smell a human where they don't belong and they react like any other deer.

I lock my hang on stands with a bike lock. At times I will take the bottom section of a ladder or screw in steps out. I also use a climber on the rare instances I go into public areas. I also try to keep a low profile. I've had two visits from the police regarding calls from people who saw some guy with a bow.
 
These kinds of hunts can be a blast and I apply for a few in my area each year. There are hoops to jump through and most are earn-a-buck, but the opportunity far outweighs all of that to me. I have both a climber that I use all the time and a cheap hang-on that I use for these types of hunts where you're allowed to leave a stand overnight. I secure mine with a bike lock and take the bottom stick with me. Most of the times the parks are closed to the general public for the duration of these hunts. Haven't had any issues yet with equipment walking away.
 
Thanks for the insight everyone! Keep it coming. jmveverka that's a beautiful buck! I know the tags issued in town here are only for does, but we'll see what they say about shooting bucks. I've seen a few nice ones around town.
 
Its not a program, but in Atlanta some of the biggest deer in the state are killed in urban areas where the deer can get old. I would personally use either a climber I pack in and out or a lock on similar to a lone wolf. The lone wolf you can leave the stand in the tree and pack your sticks in and out. The stand would be high enough that most people would not mess with it. Also, you have the ability to be mobile.
 
For stands in a "high risk" public area I sometimes use a cheap lock-on and climbing stick and forego the $20 lock which if they want it bad enough they'll just cut anyway.....

Although perhaps my favorite tactic is to use a climber, but since it can be a pain/noisy hauling it in and out or setting up in the dark, if I find a tree/spot I like I'll use a bike cable lock that's long enough to loop through both the top and bottom sections of the climber... That way nobody can walk off with it, AND I'm confident I'm not going to show up and find somebody else sitting in my stand... :) so far that's worked well for me
 
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