The city of Grand Rapids will hold its second special deer hunt this fall in an attempt to further reduce deer numbers within the city limits. Permit area 179 around Grand Rapids and much of northeastern Minnesota will follow a more conservative harvest with few antlerless permits, but high deer numbers have persisted within the city limits.

The hunt is open to archery, firearms and muzzleloader hunters during the regular season dates for those hunts. In order to participate in the hunt, a hunter must purchase a regular license for the type of hunt they want to participate in through the DNR's electronic licensing system (ELS), and then may purchase up to four bonus permits through ELS to take additional antlerless deer. The city hunt limit is five deer and hunters may take only one antlered buck.

Muzzleloader and firearms hunters will have to apply for their special hunt permit through ELS by Thursday, Sept. 4. Special hunt numbers are 931 for firearms, and 946 for muzzleloader.

Firearms or muzzleloader hunters who want to hunt in a lottery area and participate in the Grand Rapids special hunt must make a choice whether to apply for an antlerless permit or participate in the special hunt; they cannot apply for both.

Special hunt permits for the archery season hunt can be obtained at the Grand Rapids Police Department at any time. After buying an archery hunting license, hunters will be issued a permit to possess up to four bonus tags, which they can buy through ELS.

Deer taken in the special hunt must be registered under the special hunt numbers (995 for archery, 931 for firearms, and 946 for muzzleloader) and not the larger permit area 179. A deer taken outside of the city hunt boundary cannot be registered under the city hunt number.

Most of the land in the allowed hunting areas is privately owned. Hunters must get permission directly from private landowners to hunt or cross private land. A map depicting allowed hunting areas is available on the city of Grand Rapids website at www.cityofgrandrapidsmn.com under the map tab. Itasca County plat books and online public records can help prospective hunters identify landowners in order to seek permission to hunt.

During the 2013 special hunt, hunters successfully harvested 106 deer with no reports of trespass or conflicts with private landowners.