High deer populations in suburban areas are not only a nuisance for local gardeners, but also a hazard for drivers in danger of deer-vehicle collisions. While the Missouri Department of Conservation suggests several ways to deter deer, including fencing and repellents, it advises that hunting is the most effective way to control local deer population. By allowing bow
hunters on your land and encouraging them to hunt antlerless deer, the local deer population can be reduced.

As the deer population rises within Creve Coeur, the City is considering ways to improve deer mitigation policies currently in place. After speaking with local bow hunters and reviewing laws in nearby cities, the Police Department has made several suggestions, such as removing the requirement to put “Deer Hunt in Progress” signs in front yards, reducing the lot size requirement from one acre to a half acre, reducing the liability insurance requirement and working with local institutions to allow controlled hunts near their property.

In Missouri, bow hunting season runs from September 15–November 9, 2018 and November 21–January 15, 2019. Prior to hunting activity, anyone interested in bow hunting must notify the Creve Coeur Police Department of his or her intent to hunt by completing the “Notification of Intent to Hunt Form.” 

What You Can Do to Help

• Don't Feed the Deer. Using food to attract deer is prohibited in City limits. Feeding deer increases the risk of creating a traffic hazard, property damage or a nuisance for neighbors.
• Obtain Permission to Bow Hunt. Bow hunting is allowed in City limits as long as hunters complete the required application process and abide by the regulations of the City’s deer
  control policy. The “Notification of Intent to Hunt Form” can be found on the City’s website.
• Allow Others to Bow Hunt. Deer typically prefer wooded drainages around common ground areas. Landowners with multiple acres of property that fit this description may want to consider granting others permission to bow hunt on their property. For property owners interested in authorizing a deer hunt on his or her property, suggested steps to take beforehand are available on the City’s website.

More information is available at www.crevecoeurmo.gov/Deer.