|
Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department
2008 Deer Management Program
 Over the past seventeen years Anoka County Parks and Recreation Department has been actively monitoring and managing deer populations within its park system. Through a process of aerial and ground deer surveys, analysis of car/deer collision data, and public comment, Anoka County Parks has implemented a strategy for maintaining deer herd populations. As the metro area has continued to expand, parks have become enclosed with roadways and developments, isolating deer populations. With the lack of natural predators deer populations have increased beyond the carrying capacity of the land. In an effort to control deer populations and minimize impacts on the environment as well as private property surrounding park land, Anoka County Parks has implemented controlled archery deer hunts.
The goal and long-range management plan for white-tailed deer within Anoka County Park System includes closely inventorying and monitoring deer population densities via winter aerial surveys and maintaining the deer population densities between 15 to 20 deer per square mile. If the deer population exceeds 20 deer per square mile, the carrying capacity of the land, or the available food and habitat for the deer, typically is not sufficient to effectively support the resident deer herd. In addition, public safety concerns are directly associated with the number of car/deer collisions in and surrounding Anoka County park areas. Furthermore, reproductive, age, and mortality data are collected and analyzed to generate an estimated deer population index. As a result, controlled archery deer hunts within the Anoka County Park System are determined annually based upon the analyses of the available survey data.
This year, aerial deer surveys were flown with marginal snow cover on February 15, 2008. The following table summarizes the 2008 aerial survey data and serves as an index to the minimum known number of deer alive within the respective park areas on the given survey dates:
2008 Deer Survey Data and Harvest Objectives
Click here to see the 2008 Deer Survey, results and objectives.
This year Anoka County Parks will be offering controlled archery deer hunts within three of its parks; Bunker Hills Regional Park, Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park and Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve. Hunters may apply to participate in the controlled archery deer hunts by submitting an application to the Anoka County Parks Department. To be eligible to hunt, participants must complete a one time only bow hunter education course, submit an application and signed hunt program rules, attend a pre-hunt orientation, and pay the $15.00 program fee. The deer hunt application, program rules, and hunt maps can be downloaded from the following links:
2008 Controlled Archery Deer Hunt Application
Hunt Program Rules
Bunker Hills Regional Park
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve
Hunt Zone Maps
Bunker Hills Regional Park
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Reserve
NOTE: HUNTERS WHO HAVE APPLIED IN THE PAST WILL NOTICE A CHANGE TO THE HUNT FORMAT. PLEASE READ ALL PROGRAM RULES AND APPLICATION INFORMATION PRIOR TO SUBMITTAL TO ENSURE PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES TO THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. ANY QUESTIONS CAN BE DIRECTED TO TIM SEVCIK, NATURAL RESOURCE SPECIALIST, AT 763-767-2896 OR BY EMAIL AT timothy.sevcik@co.anoka.mn.us
|
