# Urban Deer Management



## 247Hunter (Aug 11, 2020)

Where are they ? Maybe it's just me but the DNR's thoughts about "Thinning" the herd in special counties during the month of January I don't believe will retrieve the results there thinking of !
I've been hitting the woods on a regular base ( Macomb & Oakland ) county ( Public Hunting land ) , I've only ran into 2 additional hunters ( Which during normal seasons is Much more ) , and they are saying the same thing "Where are they" ? Come the cold weather deer tend to start "yarding" up usually to an area a known food source is ; Unless your lucky enough to own land and/or have permission to hunt private land ( With food plots and/or standing crops ) your chances of getting a deer in January is slim ,There isn't even any participants within the"HAP" program within these counties ? With that said I thing DNR should at least open up limited baiting just for this Month & within these counties they feel the herd needs "Thinning".
If any readers are still bow hunting Public Hunting Land in Wayne, Oakland and/or Macomb County and have actually seen deer please let we know which area , I'd love to put at least one deer in the freezer this year


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## Rancid Crabtree (Apr 14, 2008)

*"lucky"* enough to own land????? Are people winning land these days?????


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## Slimits (Jun 30, 2014)

Perhaps the deer dont need to be thinned. The dnr doesnt know whats best in most cases


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## o_mykiss (May 21, 2013)

They're on private land. Deer get pushed out of public land during season, and the densities are often lower than private to begin with. And there are frequently better late season food sources on private anyways, so why would they sprint back to public land after the season ends?

I sat Dec 30 near the Washtenaw/Oakland border on private land and saw at least 20 deer, and had 8 in range. And I saw a bunch more in Oakland on the way back from hunting in Washtenaw


There's oodles of deer in the metro area. Instead of whining about people being "lucky" to have permission on private, make your own luck

Start knocking on doors this summer. Prime places are areas where others wouldn't think to hunt. Suburban areas with 5-10 acre lot sizes. Houses with big fences up around their gardens. Areas without spots to put treestands. Places that are within 450 feet of an occupied building (no gun hunting). Just make sure local ordinances allow hunting

Ask in 20 places and you'll probably get permission on 1, assuming you do some research beforehand, are pleasant and respectful, and don't look like a slob

Putting in a few weekends of prep work to find a private place to hunt is probably less time commitment than going hunting 20 times in a deer desert, ya know?


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## ArrowFlinger (Sep 18, 2000)

Slimits said:


> Perhaps the deer dont need to be thinned. The dnr doesnt know whats best in most cases


A lot of public land in Oakland county is way over hunted. The 2 mile by 2 section (with one 2 mile road in between) for a total of 10 linear miles that i frequent had an average of 30 hunting vehicles (1/2 that during the week) plus another 20 mountain bikers throughout 2nd firearm and late Muzzleloader seasons. I saw a total of 3 deer on huntable land. 6 on non huntable public. right next to where i go on a side road there averaged 15 vehicles on 2 mile streatch, because they wanted to get as close to the unhuntable land that they could.

Deer thinning anywhere in this state really only needs to be done on Private Land. Public land has been thinned for years.


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## textox (Jan 30, 2020)

Big $ subs in Rochester Hills,Bloomfield Hills are over populated with White Tail deer in Oakland Co. Good luck getting permission to hunt there. The campus at Oakland University is a prime example,the university has many acres of undeveloped land that could be hunted,but most likely will never see a hunter.The deer in my Avatar is in a Rochester Hills sub next to OU. The flashing sign in front of the main entrance "Don't veer for deer"means that is the only way the overpopulation will be controlled there!!


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## ArrowFlinger (Sep 18, 2000)

Went to scout this afternoon. 5 cars at 3 of the spots i wanted to scout on one road. 5 cars in a backup lot that i was going to. So finally ended up where i have hunted this year to learn more. 3 cars there.


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## SmokeJensen (Jan 26, 2021)

First time, long time.

This year I tried poking around Oakland county a bit. Haven't seen quite the population I hoped I was walking into but seeing evidence of areas worth driving into a little more and breaking down the locations. Some areas I've seen where there's so much pressure I can't even get a parking spot. Then I go a mile or two down the road and see nothing for vehicles. I will usually find that those areas are not what your typical tree stand hunter are going to be jumping up and down to hunt. Meaning you can walk for an hour and not find a tree to set up in. Finding only evidence of gun season pressure but seeing more "sign" than other areas. Not sure that getting deeper is the better option in a lot of this state. Seems having to get outside the box and hunting where other people won't is what it will take. 
My season has been just continuous exercise with my equipment though so take it with a grain of salt. I've hunted almost double digits counties this year though and been seeing more deer/bucks of the caliber I'd like to pursue playing that card. Will be getting back at it after the snow moves in today before the fishing gear comes out. Anyone wants to join and I would be more than happy to have them along. My hunting buddies had a poor timed rut last year that has them chasing around diapers this year instead.


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