"If you can get permission from landowners, there are a lot of properties with 10 or more acres where you can literally hunt from someone's back yard. People move to the country and then complain about deer eating their bushes," Porch said.

"Though it would be hard for someone to go to Lake County and just knock on doors, there are some pretty good areas to hunt. Hunters should look for private property that is landlocked by subdivisions bordering, say, 50 acres of cattail stands where there are lots of deer. It's surprising how many deer can be in these landlocked pockets."

Even these small pockets of good deer habitat can produce a lot of deer, as evidenced by the numerous subdivisions with major problems. Many property owners in the urban zone are happy to give permission to hunt, as will farmers who suffer a lot of crop damage. But even so, there are property owners who won't appreciate being asked for permission, so get ready for a variety of responses when seeking permission to hunt on private land.

Hunting the edges of public properties such as state parks and the National Lakeshore can be very productive. Gaining access to surrounding private properties will position hunters to target deer that have escaped hunting pressure for years. There are some big bucks that wander onto private holdings from these public areas, and they can make all of a hunter's efforts worthwhile.

"Places like this harbor a lot of animals," Porch said.

Savvy hunters will find whitetails in corridors and sheltered areas where they travel from one source of food and cover to another.

"Look for natural geographic peculiarities, such as a drainage with bottom ground, large cattail stands or one of a number of marsh areas, even if totally surrounded by houses," Porch said. "The houses will be on the high ground and the deer will be in the bottomland."

A surprising fact for Porch is the absence of hunting accidents while archers are targeting the Gary Urban Zone.

"I've never heard of a serious hunting accident where someone was injured due to bowhunting, unless it was someone falling out of a tree," Porch said.

The proximity to homes and businesses in much of the area is a concern that hunters have taken seriously, and the result is that excellent deer-hunting opportunities will continue to be enjoyed.

The Gary Urban Deer Zone covers the portion of Lake County north of U.S. 30. The Crown Point zone in Lake County lies within the corporation limits of Crown Point.

For more information, contact District 6 at (219) 285-2704.

The Lake County Convention and Visitor's Bureau can be reached at (800) 255-5253 for trip planning assistance and maps, or visit their Web site at www.alllake.org.

Hoosier archers also have other urban deer opportunities this year. The Evansville zone covers all of Vanderburgh County.

In LaPorte County, the Michigan City Urban Deer Zone incorporates the part of the county north of U.S. Route 94. The Chesterton Urban Deer Zone in Porter County is within the county boundaries north of U.S. 94.

Archers should experience good hunting around Madison in the portion of Jefferson County bounded on the east by U.S. Route 421, on the north and west by state Route (SR) 62 and on the south by SR 56.

Hunters in the Lafayette area can enjoy the urban zone in the part of Tippecanoe County north of SR 28.

The DFW points out that state archery hunting laws do not supercede local ordinances that may restrict hunting or the shooting of bows. Hunters must be granted permission from landowners before hunting on private property.

For additional information, visit the DNR's Web site at: www.in.gov/dnr.