Cities implementing deer management bow-hunts are nothing new; but, new rules revealed for Duluth's program this year show managers are listening to bow-hunter input. Duluth has finely tuned its program to the point that it has identified "hot spots" -- areas with disproportionately high numbers of deer per acreage -- within the hunting parcels it manages. The city is also allowing ground blinds in specific locations where trees are less abundant.

According to the story appearing in today's Duluth News Tribune, "'Those changes are being made at the request of the public,' said Kathy Bergen, director of Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Department. 'There are still lots of deer out there, and those deer are invading people’s yards. They’re asking for the program to step up. The group [ABA] is trying to respond to those requests.'

Last fall, 315 hunters registered and qualified for the Duluth hunt. Of those, 250 were successful, taking a total of 567 deer. Of those, 84 percent (476) were antlerless and 16 percent (91) were bucks.

In 2006, 195 successful hunters took 564 deer, 86 percent of them antlerless.

Of the 283 hunters registered for this fall’s hunt, about 30 are new to the city hunt, Lockett said."