Abundant acorn crop might make Md. deer hunters work harder
wjla.com
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) - Maryland game managers say deer hunters might have to work to fill their tags during this firearm season opening. The season opens on Saturday.
Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Brian Eyler says the acorn crop was abundant, so deer won't be moving around much in search of food.That means less contact with hunters during the two-week season.
For the fourth straight year, the Maryland Farm Bureau is encouraging hunters to target does in hopes of reducing the deer population.(appears that
Every doe carcass donated to a participating butcher shop gets the donor into a drawing for hundreds of dollars' worth of outdoor products.
The program is active in 13 counties in central and southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore.
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The 2012 whitetail deer shotgun season, which opens Monday, could reach a high harvest of close to 13,000 animals, depending on several factors.
One thing for certain there are plenty of deer. This is due mostly to the transition of one level forest to two levels of trees, development of farms and an excellent MassWildlife deer project.
A relatively mild 2011-2012 winter could mean a deer kill of more than 12,000 animals, a far cry from the 1950 and 1960s where the total harvest a couple of times fell below 2,000.
As always, fresh snow can add to a total harvest while bitter cold winds and fewer hunters could mean a lower figure.
The herd itself appears in good condition. If a goodly number of hunters are selected to pick up additional permits to hunt Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, the total could go even higher.
The two islands, ravaged by Lyme disease because of over population, invited hunters last season. Then they set up barriers that turned off sportsmen.
The final figures for the 2011 deer seasons announced earlier this year by MassWildlife deer project leader David Stainbrook was 11,154 whitetails shot during the combined seasons.
There is good reason to expect an increase during each season. Again, it's predicated on fresh snow and lack of bitter cold weather and winds.
There were eight deer shot during the paraplegic season, 3,765 during archery; 5,349 in shotgun, 1,959 primitive arms and 37 during the special Quabbin Reservation hunt.
Stainbrook said high deer densities in suburban areas of eastern Massachusetts where hunter access is limited, has been a problem but recent trends in towns opening lands to archery hunting have shown promise for reducing numbers.
The expertise of the MassWildlife deer project is pointed out by the fact that only 1,193 deer were harvested in 1967 and 1,427 in 1968. The next eight years the totals were in the 2,000 bracket.
The total was 10,699 in 2010; 10,381 in 2009; 11,217 in 2008.
The harvest came close to 13,000 in 2004. Both 2003 and 2005 saw more than 12,000 animals shot as the number of antlerless permits was increased due to over crowded conditions in some precincts.
There are precincts where the deer projects are attempting to bring back deer numbers, often where the needed two level forest is mostly one level as trees mature and grow.
For the fourth straight year, the Maryland Farm Bureau is encouraging hunters to target does in hopes of reducing the deer population.(appears that
Every doe carcass donated to a participating butcher shop gets the donor into a drawing for hundreds of dollars' worth of outdoor products.
The program is active in 13 counties in central and southern Maryland and the Eastern Shore.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Whitetail deer plentiful as shotgun season opens Monday in Massachusetts
By masslive.com
One thing for certain there are plenty of deer. This is due mostly to the transition of one level forest to two levels of trees, development of farms and an excellent MassWildlife deer project.
A relatively mild 2011-2012 winter could mean a deer kill of more than 12,000 animals, a far cry from the 1950 and 1960s where the total harvest a couple of times fell below 2,000.
As always, fresh snow can add to a total harvest while bitter cold winds and fewer hunters could mean a lower figure.
The herd itself appears in good condition. If a goodly number of hunters are selected to pick up additional permits to hunt Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, the total could go even higher.
The two islands, ravaged by Lyme disease because of over population, invited hunters last season. Then they set up barriers that turned off sportsmen.
The final figures for the 2011 deer seasons announced earlier this year by MassWildlife deer project leader David Stainbrook was 11,154 whitetails shot during the combined seasons.
There is good reason to expect an increase during each season. Again, it's predicated on fresh snow and lack of bitter cold weather and winds.
There were eight deer shot during the paraplegic season, 3,765 during archery; 5,349 in shotgun, 1,959 primitive arms and 37 during the special Quabbin Reservation hunt.
Stainbrook said high deer densities in suburban areas of eastern Massachusetts where hunter access is limited, has been a problem but recent trends in towns opening lands to archery hunting have shown promise for reducing numbers.
The expertise of the MassWildlife deer project is pointed out by the fact that only 1,193 deer were harvested in 1967 and 1,427 in 1968. The next eight years the totals were in the 2,000 bracket.
The total was 10,699 in 2010; 10,381 in 2009; 11,217 in 2008.
The harvest came close to 13,000 in 2004. Both 2003 and 2005 saw more than 12,000 animals shot as the number of antlerless permits was increased due to over crowded conditions in some precincts.
There are precincts where the deer projects are attempting to bring back deer numbers, often where the needed two level forest is mostly one level as trees mature and grow.
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