By The Archery Wire

The Wake Forest (NC) Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 Feb. 19 to permit bowhunting in the city limits to control the population of whitetail deer encroaching on developed areas of the city.

Under the new ordinance, archers can hunt for deer on privately owned land at least 5 acres in size, and they must carry written permission from all property owners and provide such permissions to any law enforcement officer who requests to see them.

Under the approved parameters, arrows must be shot from elevated treestands and toward the interior of the hunting parcel, and no arrows may be shot within 50 yards of a home or a road right-of-way or within 100 yards of any day care, school, church or town park.

Special bow seasons for deer are already taking place in in 37 North Carolina towns, including Chapel Hill and Pittsboro, to cull the overabundant animals that devour gardens, encounter automobiles and spread tick-borne maladies.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission established an official urban archery season in 2007, running from early January to mid-February each year, starting immediately after the regular deer season. Under regulations created by the Commission, cities and towns are free to choose to whether or not the need exists to implement an archery hunt. The regulations give towns the framework and regulations to do so.

Upon approval of the ordinance, Wake Forest must submit a written request to the state Wildlife Resources Commission by April 1 to participate in the 2014 urban archery season.