It's once again time for the city to unleash hunters out to help reduce the growing deer population with the annual Urban Deer Hunt.

Why do many communities do an urban deer hunt?

In looking to find that out, it turns out Cedar Rapids was one to join the fray over ten years ago. The official answer from Jason Andrews, who manages the Urban Deer Hunt Cedar Rapids, said in HowStuffWorks back in 2020, "Urban deer hunting is a management practice used in many cities and suburban areas across the United States." In short, it's for population control. Some may find it needless to purposely kill off these beautiful creatures but they do cause their share of issues.

In the early 2000s, we, like many other towns had a large number of deer vs. car collisions, as well as "significant vegetation degradation on private property." Around that time, the American deer population had also grown to about 38 million but has since leveled off. After mulling over many solutions to those issues, the Urban Deer Hunt was born.

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When is this year's Urban Deer Hunt in Cedar Rapids?

Iowa's News Now says the City of Cedar Rapids just recently passed a resolution to let it continue in 2021, between September 18, 2021 and January 10, 2022. You do have to have a hunting permit and can get one by completing the following steps:

  • Completion of the Iowa Bow Hunter’s Safety Course. (one-time only)
  • Completion of an Urban Deer Management application available at Palo Outdoors or on the City’s Website.
  • Complete an annual proficiency certification test at Palo Outdoors, 1204 1st Street, Palo.
  • Mandatory attendance at the Urban Deer Hunt Rules and Regulations Class (only one class required) at Palo Outdoors, 1204 1st Street, Palo.

Hunting orientation classes will take place Wednesday, September 1, 2021 from 6-7:30 p.m. and Saturday, September 11, 2021 from 10-11:30 a.m.

For more information, click here.

 

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