MD hunters, If a deer is on your property can you shoot it?

[Jeostang]

My wife just planted a bunch of new plants and in about a week they have been eaten down. I've tried that deer repel stuff and it works for a while but wears off. My neighbor shoots at them with a pellet gun, to scare them off, but they still come back. I was thinking about getting me a bow and taking out the two that are not scared to walk right up to the house. If I can do this where can I get it processed?

[hondarider227]

Originally Posted by Jeostang

My wife just planted a bunch of new plants and in about a week they have been eaten down. I've tried that deer repel stuff and it works for a while but wears off. My neighbor shoots at them with a pellet gun, to scare them off, but they still come back. I was thinking about getting me a bow and taking out the two that are not scared to walk right up to the house. If I can do this where can I get it processed?

If you are going to take and have it processed I would say you have to have a deer tag. I don't know the laws where you are but in California You better have a tag. I do have friends with a lot property where they have to lower the deer popultion and do it with out tags. But they know how to dress them out themselves and they eat all that they kill . To me it's a fine line on people taking a deer with out a tag. As a nature lover myself I say kill it, they are good to eat. J/K But for reals , I hunt and fish alot and only do it with a lisence or a tags.

[Krodad]

I don't know what your acreage setup is, but I had a huge problem in my yard with deer eating everything, and my yard is at the edge of our pasture and timber, so the deer supply is endless (makes for great hunting though)

Anyway, here's what I do and I swear it works...I will follow up next week with some photos if you want as I am travelling this week:

We put up an electric fence at the standard height (about 3') but used the white electric "tape" style of wire...it's about an inch wide with a reflective white color, and the metal wire is stranded throughout the strap. About every 30', we put aluminum foil over the strand, and baited with peanut butter. It was a lot of fun in the full moon light to watch how high a deer can jump in place when they get zapped. It worked very well. We kept the bait fresh for about a week, then after that refreshed it about once a month. Yes they can easily jump over the fence, but they did not like the jolt and they stay away.
We also have a relatively young windbreak with lots of different kinds of trees that the bucks love to rub and destroy. Did the same thing there, but added a secondary fence about 5' inside of the baited fence. They see this and realize that if they try to jump, they will end up on top of the secondary fence, and we have eliminated that problem as well.

If our place was not on such a busy blacktop road, I would have about 4 dogs running free on the property, but I get too attached to watch them all get bumpered.

I have absolutely no moral objection to taking out what is in effect a varmint, but chances are you are going to get in some kind of trouble. If you can't drop the bugger stone dead, it could run off and someone might then be a witness, etc., and if you are not out in the middle of nowhere like I am, you have to think about downrange, and it would be irresponsible to shoot them with anything other than a high power rifle or shotgun slug.
I cannot legally harvest a deer in Iowa without a tag, no matter what. If I poach, there will be a charge of over $1500.00 for the value of the deer, plus the criminal side of things. Not worth it

[helomech]

You should be able to apply for a nuisance animal permit. It will allow you to kill the animals that are destroying your property. I have seen people get them for everything from squirrels to deer. Just tell them that the deer are eating your garden, or something else important, they may not give it to you if they are just eating a few flowers.

[tnbowhunter]

I don't know if you live in the city limits or in the country. There is probably a law against shooting a bow inside the city limits regardless if it is hunting season or not.

If you live in the country you can apply to your division of wildlife for a depradation permit. But they probably will NOT issue you one untill you have exhausted all attempts to get rid of the deer using other methods, [noise makers, repelents, etc.] The only thing that I have ever seen that works most of the time is an electric fence. It works most of the time if it is installed correctly, i.e. two or three strands and baited with somthing that the deer really like such as peanut butter.

I don't know about the laws in your state but in many states if you are granted a depradation permit and kill the deer you must leave it where it falls, you cannot have it processed or utilize any part of the deer, [antlers, hide, etc.]

You could always do what people around here do with unwanted "pests" SSS. [Shoot Shovel & Shutup.]

Good luck..........

[hondarider227]

sss that's great!!!

[CFowler]

Joestang,

I believe I meet you once near Laurel Hospital when my daughter was playing softball there. I don't live to far from you and I have a bow and a few deer tags. I will be more than willing to come and harvest that deer for you. I will process it myself and if you like can give you some of the meat. Just let me know....