Council approves special antlerless deer bow-hunting areas for 2025–26 season

The Urbandale City Council approved the city's special bow-hunting program for antlerless deer for the 2025–26 season, continuing a program police said has run without injuries for 27 years. Police Chief Rob Johansen told the council the program is managed jointly with the Polk County Deer Task Force and is designed to reduce deer density; city survey work and task-force goals aim for a target of roughly 20–30 deer per square mile in the managed areas. Johansen said the program has been effective at reducing deer numbers since the program began and that the city has never recorded an injury related to the program. For 2025–26, staff proposed adding two pieces of recently opened parkland in the Urban Hills area on the city’s west side; those areas include a satellite park facility near a park access road where staff said wildlife vehicle collisions are common. Johansen said signs are posted and staff works with hunters and a local meat locker to transport donated venison for food programs when hunters choose to donate. Councilmembers asked about signage, the geographic distribution of hunting parcels (many are outside Polk County and are in Dallas County), how hunters are recruited and whether the city receives public pushback. Johansen said Polk County Conservation and the task force promote the program and that staff received one email expressing concern about hunting at Urban Hills Park; the chief said staff responded with program details and safety practices. A motion to approve the council letter for the program passed.