4 hours Ago By Brad Dokken
Archery hunters had a 60% success rate during the inaugural herd reduction season on the East Grand Forks side of the Greenway. Six of the 10 hunters selected to participate in the hunt filled their tags, shooting an eight-point buck and five does, according to Jeremy King, superintendent of the East Grand Forks Parks and Recreation Department. ADVERTISEMENT The hunt began Friday, Nov.
15, and wrapped up Sunday, Nov. 24. “I would say it was a very successful season,” King said.
The archery hunt was part of a Deer Management Plan the East Grand Forks City Council approved in June in an effort to control deer numbers, which were becoming too abundant and causing problems in parts of city limits. During an informal count last spring, officers from the East Grand Forks Police Department counted 74 deer in various parts of city limits between March 21 and March 28. In addition, the Police Department received 90 deer-related complaints from Jan.
1, 2020, until March 2024. Working with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the city offered nine antlerless (doe) tags and one tag that was good for either a buck or a doe. The hunt targeted antlerless deer because they are the primary drivers of the population.
According to King, 40 people initially applied for the archery hunt. The city then conducted a lottery, narrowing the 40 applicants to 15 potential hunters, who had to pass a proficiency test before drawing a tag. From that point, 10 hunters ultimately were selected to participate in the hunt.
Hunters who drew tags were restricted to five areas within the East Grand Forks portion of the Greenway, and the city posted signage along the Greenway reminding residents that the hunt was in progress. ADVERTISEMENT King said he was hoping the hunters would take at least four deer during the archery hunt. The season started off slow but picked up after last week’s snowfall, King said.
One of the hunters who drew a tag decided not to hunt and another one packed it in after the first weekend, he said. “So, we actually really only had the eight hunters out there for a big portion of (the season),” King said. “And so six out of eight is pretty incredible.
” With the initial hunt complete, King said the Police Department will conduct another informal survey again this winter to reassess deer numbers in city limits. The management plan calls for similar archery hunts again in 2025 and 2026 or until the deer population reaches an acceptable level. At that point, the city may continue an archery hunt, but with fewer permits.
“We can re-evaluate now that we have all the information in front of us,” King said. “We’ll do another count over the winter and see where we’re sitting for next year. But so far, I would say it was a big success.
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