Andover City Council OKs 2 weekends of deer hunting

Deer in the Smith's Rolling Oaks development in eastern Andover had better watch their backs this December.

The Andover City Council voted 3-1 last week to approve an exemption to the city's weapons discharge ordinance, to allow for limited bow hunting in the Rolling Oaks area. The exemption will allow residents to bow hunt deer from tree stands in their own yards, if the lots are 2 1/2 acres or larger, during the first two weekends in December. They'll have to get permission to enter neighbors' properties to track wounded animals.

The deer are overrunning the neighborhood, with encouragement from residents who feed them, say the measure's supporters. Wayward deer are eating flower gardens, they said, leaving droppings in their yards and dashing into paths of oncoming vehicles.

Residents who spoke against the exemption said they worry about hunters' ability to abide with another city code, which prohibits them from shooting a bow within 150 feet of their neighbors' residences. Opponents note that children play in the woods without regard to property lines and shooting radius. They also said they aren't seeing other traditional signs of deer overpopulation, such as depleted underbrush. Besides, they said, they moved to the tree-filled neighborhood to get closer to wilderness, including the deer.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is liberal in its treatment of hunting on private property in the metro area, "to help landowners and local governments control local deer populations," according to the Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook.

There are some restrictions, and it's up to municipalities to set localized rules for hunters.

In Andover, hunting has been permitted in certain areas, based on lot size and layout. The city code allows for exemptions provided the hunt has received support from the DNR.

Petitions for hunting

The area that includes Smith's Rolling Oaks, northeast of University Avenue and 146th Lane, was designated as a no-hunting area in 2000, but hunters have petitioned the council at least three times for hunting privileges there. This is the first time they've sought an exemption rather than a wholesale change to the city's hunting maps.

Don Wilson, a 10-year resident, said it's not unusual to see a dozen deer congregate on his 2.8-acre lot in the winter, where they deplete the bird feeder.

He said he would have liked to have gotten more than four days. "But we will go under the idea that it's a test year and if everything goes right, we'll go back next year to see if we can get more days," he said.

He presented a petition to the council indicating that a majority of residents polled support the exemption. A neighborhood map was provided with the petition, showing rows of green-shaded supporters, peppered by fewer red-shaded opponents.

Trude unsuccessfully proposed tabling the measure to give more time for comments. "I wanted to have the input of all the neighbors and see what the concerns were, and how can we address the concerns," she said. " ... My biggest concern was, what's the rush?"

Mayor Mike Gamache said he considered tabling the measure but then noted that this year's hunt will be an experiment.

"They're going to be under very tight restrictions, and people are going to be watching to make sure it goes well and everything is done correctly," he said.

Mike Engelmann, a 13-year Andover resident, expressed concern about hunting in an area where deer have become acclimated to humans. He said that at least a dozen people in the neighborhood feed the deer because they like seeing them in their yards. "It's like shooting cows in a pasture," said Engelmann, who works as a contract carpenter for the Star Tribune. "Here, you can honk your horn and the deer doesn't move because they've been fed for longer than I've been out there."

Trude said she expects to receive calls when people get letters from the city informing them that it's a done deal.