We Are Conservation

Kansas City Parks & Recreation

In 2016, Kansas City Parks & Recreation partnered with MDC to initiate the first-ever women’s managed archery deer hunt in Missouri. Located at Hodge Park, the hunt successfully merged two objectives — managing the urban deer population and introducing women to outdoor skills.

Deer Management

The Hodge hunt has proven to be popular. “Participation continues to rise each year,” said Joe DeBold, wildlife damage biologist for MDC’s Kansas City and Northwest regions. “In 2016, there were five women participants and by 2020, it had grown to 23. As a result, 22 deer have been harvested.” In addition to Hodge, hunts are hosted at five other Kansas City parks, in partnership with MDC, to successfully control the urban deer population.

In Her Own Words

“It’s been incredibly successful,” said Jaci Newman, one of the first women to start the Hodge Park hunt. “It’s empowering to hunt on your own, and it’s cool to see women get in there and do their thing.”