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Comment by stevepotter | Hacker News Reader

Where I live, we have a deer problem but houses are too close to hunt. I drive to my folk's place about an hour away to do it. Some towns hire professionals to take some out, but it's expensive. The meat does go to feeding the homeless though. I'd happily pay for the ability to hunt right in my town. It can be done safely.

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We have way too many deer in our suburban area. It's technically possible to legally hunt in the area, but not practical. The permissions and everything else you need to get are way too onerous. The level of knowledge about the need to manage the deer herd for safety, public health, and deer health is just not there. Every fall the roads are stained with redish brown stains of deer being hit by cars. People get hurt or killed, and their cars get damaged.

Instead, this beneficial activity has been driven underground. We hear the deer being poached at night (when the poachers are using rifles). I imagine the more stealthy poachers are using crossbows.

I doubt anyone is regularly poaching with crossbows. Following a blood trail at night sucks, and while it’s definitely possible to kill cleanly and humanely with a bow, the deer typically has the ability to run for a few dozen yards at least.

Most poached deer where I am (Arkansas) are taken with small-caliber rifles - mostly .22 LR, but some .22 Mag and .17 HMR. They’re still loud but not nearly as loud as a centerfire rifle cartridge. They’re also generally extremely accurate and inexpensive.

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