Deer Management/Deer Bow Hunting
Parks’ annual controlled archery hunt begins September 14
September 9, 2024 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester Parks and Recreation Department is once again coordinating a controlled archery hunt this fall in several parks throughout the city. The annual hunt is part of the City’s deer management approach.
Parks and trails will remain open during hunting season. Some areas within the following locations will be designated as off-limits and signed accordingly while the hunt is occurring: Bear Creek, Essex Park, Foster Arend Park, Gamehaven Reservoir, Hadley Creek Golf Course, Indian Heights Park, Northern Heights Park, Riverview West Park, Willow Creek Reservoir, Zumbro South
Participants are required to successfully complete Minnesota Bowhunter Education and pass the MN bowhunter proficiency test. Hunters will be expected to comply with all Minnesota Department of Natural Resources deer hunting rules and regulations. Bowhunting season runs from September 14 to December 31, 2024.
Bowhunting for deer is typically done from a tree stand: a platform attached to a tree 10-20 feet above the ground. Being elevated improves the hunter’s ability to detect deer, reduces the likelihood that deer will detect the hunter and most importantly, establishes a downward shot trajectory so that arrows never travel far from the shooter’s location. This makes bowhunting extremely safe for the public and non-target animals. Most shots are taken at deer that are less than 20 yards away from the shooter, which means they can very clearly and easily identify the target and the arrow is likely to be shot at a steep downward angle. Bowhunting can and does safely occur simultaneously with other recreational land uses such as hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and mountain biking.
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Sec. 8-7-11. - Game hunting within the city.
(a)
No person may use a firearm, bow or other dangerous weapon in hunting game within the city except as permitted in section 8-7-10(c)(6) or subsection (b) of this section.
(b)
A person may hunt deer or wild turkeys using a bow and pointed-tip arrow under all of the following circumstances:
(1)
The shooting occurs on property the person owns or on another person's property if the shooter has in his possession written permission of the property owner to engage in the activity;
(2)
The arrow does not travel beyond the boundaries of that property;
(3)
Unless otherwise specified by written permission of the property owner, any shooting must occur at least 200 feet from any building and from any land not owned by that landowner;
(4)
The shooting does not endanger anyone else;
(5)
The person has in his possession a valid state deer archery or turkey season license;
(6)
The person has completed a bowhunter educational program and an archery proficiency test, and is able to show proof of this proficiency as granted and administered by a certified archery instructor;
(7)
A person archery hunting for deer must make use of a tree stand at least five feet from ground level unless a person engaged in hunting is physically unable. A person archery hunting for turkey must make use of a portable ground blind;
(8)
Bow fishing may be done within the city in accordance with the state fishing regulations, except that bow fishing will be prohibited in the following waters:
a.
Silver Lake between the 7th Street NE bridge and the T.H. 63 (North Broadway) bridge.
b.
Any waters located within the boundaries of Quarry Hill Park.
c.
The South Fork of the Zumbro River between the T.H. 14 bridge and the T.H. 63 (South Broadway) bridge (Soldiers Field Golf Course).
d.
Cascade Creek and the future Cascade Lake area bounded by CSAH 22 (West Circle Drive) on the west, T.H. 52 on the east, T.H. 14 on the north, and CSAH 34 (2nd Street SW) on the south.
(c)
Any person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. The minimum penalty for a person's first offense under subsection (b) of this section is a fine of $450.00.
(Code 1965, § 85.135; Ord. No. 3961, 3-15-2010)