With a busy job and a family, Steve Pozzanghera just doesn't have time to do lots of scouting for deer or to travel long distances to hunt in the backwoods.

    But he loves the sport -- and eating venison.

    That's not surprising.

    Pozzanghera, 40, grew up in update New York and has lived in North Carolina and Tennessee, big deer-hunting states. He has gone on to become deputy wildlife chief of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

    His solution to the time crunch: Hunting in the suburban fringe of Western Washington, in places like the firearms-restrictive units of Battle Ground 564, Yale 554 and Stella 504.

    There are pockets of decent deer habitat many places where suburban and rural areas meet, Pozzanghera said. The deer don't leave these areas, they adapt.

    "In many of these pockets, the majority of bucks are dying from old age or vehicle collisions,'' he said. "A lot of people overlook these backyard areas. With urbanization in Washington increasing, there will be more and more of this type of opportunity.''

    For this kind of hunting, put away the rifle, backpack, wall tent and the binoculars. Get out the archery equipment, a muzzleloader or a shotgun plus a tree stand.

    "We're hunting very small pieces of property where deer are using them for feeding, loafing and traveling,'' Pozzanghera said. "You need the deer to come to you.''

    To find these pockets of deer habitat on the suburban fringe, look at aerial photographs, searching for pockets of forest and vegetated travel corridors, he said.

    Once a potential area is identified, drive around and talk to landowners.

    "The first thing I look for are fenced gardens or fruit trees with soap bars or wads of hair on them,'' Pozzanghera said. "Look for a place where landowners are doing battle with the deer.''

    Since it's all private land, contacting the property owner and getting permission is required.

    "I don't like calling landowners on the phone,'' he said. "They've got no idea who you are. They can't see you, there's not a handshake. I go knock on doors.''

    Even if a piece of land is signed "No hunting,'' Pozzanghera will ask the landowner anyhow. He sends a thank-you card even on denials.

    Verbal permission to hunt is acceptable, but written permission is better, he said. Pozzanghera drafts a letter for the landowner exempting them from any liability should he get hurt. He also asks where he should park and gives them a description of his vehicle and hunting schedule.

    The key for hunting these small pockets is to use a tree stand, Pozzanghera said.

    A tree stand gives the landowner piece of mind and makes for better hunting.

    "A tree stand literally puts a backstop behind every single shot you take,'' he said. "It puts the ground behind every shot. For a landowner, that's a real advantage. They're going to be safety conscious.''

    Tree stands, popular in some other parts of the country although not in the Northwest, are more than just a safety matter.

    "You're not going to do yourself any good in trying to cover these small areas, traipsing all around, scenting it all up, traveling through it routinely,'' he said. "Your going to disrupt the deer in that area by doing that. The tree stand provides the opportunity to let the deer come to you.''

    Granted, tree stands aren't for everyone, Pozzanghera said.

    "Tree stands are about patience. Tree stands are about the hunt happening before you climb in.''

    Pozzanghera said he wants a tree stand that weighs fewer than 20 pounds and with carrying straps.

    To get the stand up the tree requires installing tree steps.

    He suggests getting a tool belt with pockets large enough to hold about 20 steps. Then use a battery-powered portable drill to bore a pilot hole in the tree. The hole should be about half the size of the lag screw on the tree step.

    Pozzanghera said he's never found a seat he likes in a tree stand. The cloth-style seats will put a pressure point right behind the upper thigh and cause a hunter's legs to fall asleep.

    Instead, he goes to a furniture maker and gets a dense foam for a seat.

    "You think soft is better but after an hour or two, there's nothing left. It's lost all its cushion. A nice dense foam is easier on the butt and you can last longer in your stand.''

    Waterproof material allows a hunter to leave the seat in place from one day to the next, he said. An alternative is to place a plastic bag over it at the end of the day.

    A safety belt harness is mandatory in a tree stand.

    "Do not hunt out of a tree stand without a safety harness,'' he said. "Hooking up is the first thing you do in a stand.''

    There are a variety of harness styles. Pozzanghera wears his belt and harness around his chest, just under his armpits.

    "If you fall, you're going to be upright and can use your arm strength to get yourself back into your stand.''

    Hoisting your weapon up is the final task in setting up a tree stand, he added. A lightweight braided chord is used.

    An oversize pad on the tree stand is more comfortable, allowing for more movement. He uses a pad on the side of the tree to rest his back.

    A urine bottle, clearly marked from his water bottle, is an important accessory.

    Pozzanghera said he doesn't take any books with him into his stand, and can stay six to nine hours.

    "Tree stands drive some people nuts,'' he said. "They do it once and never do it again. I don't have any problem staying focused up there. The canopy of a tree can be a fascinating place.''

    Many firearms-restriction units in Washington allow the hunting of either sex of deer.

    "To me, a good deer is any deer that walks by my stand and is legal to take,'' he said. "Right now, I enjoy eating venison too much to worry about antlers.''

Copyright © 2002 by The Columbian Publishing Co. P.O. Box 180, Vancouver, WA 98666.