Odds are fairly long for an individual hunter approaching a landowner and asking permission to hunt, particularly in an exurban area. However, the response is often different to an organized group of archery hunters, particularly if the group comes with credentials.

There are numerous ways to approach this. In Maine, for instance, the Maine Bowhunters Association developed a Bowhunters and Landowners Information Program (BLIP). It’s applicable statewide, operated in conjunction with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and requires hunters to meet certain prerequisite conditions, including having passed an archery hunter education course. Having the state’s blessing and being able to show proficiency and responsibility puts landowners more at ease.

Local bowhunting co-ops are also springing up in exurban areas. They recruit members who can demonstrate experience and responsibility. They then match them with property owners. Most provide their services for free, and many carry insurance that removes any liability from the property owner.

The other key to opening doors is educating the non-hunting public. The information provided above is a good start. Some more helpful resources are listed at the end of this column.

Provide this to individual landowners, communities, schools and local law enforcement agencies (the guys who get called out to car-deer collisions).

This type of hunting is not for everyone. You’ll be in and around developed areas, and will likely have more restrictions and conditions placed on you. It also takes more effort. Going the extra mile in demonstrating your willingness to respect exurban landowners could get you into areas where little or no hunting occurs otherwise, and where downtown deer grow old and large.

Additional Resources:
Guide to Urban Bowhunting: The Guide for Addressing urban Deer Problems with the Use of Responsible Bowhunting. The National Bowhunter Education Foundation.

An Evaluation of Deer Management Options. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Publication No. DR-11.

Tip of the Month: One of the biggest mistakes an archery hunter can make is assuming exurban deer are more naive because they’re frequently seen in and around the trappings of man. Make no mistake; they’re dialed in on our routines. They may stand and stare as a dog walker passes by, but put camo on and step one foot off the walking path and you’ll soon see they’re every bit as wary as their backwoods cousins. Stealth, silence and scent control are every bit as important here, perhaps more so, as in the big