AUGUSTA – Maine’s 2011 deer season resulted in a total harvest of 18,839 deer by resident and non-resident hunters. Although the winter of 2010-2011 was tough, especially mid-winter, snow disappeared rapidly and deer benefited from spring rains and a relatively early spring green up. Overwinter survival of fawns increased, giving a boost to yearlings available during the fall hunting season. Increased success by archers and youth hunters alike continues to demonstrate the allure of bowhunting, and the interest of young hunters in pursuing one of North America’s most exciting game species.
The change in last fall’s deer harvest by -6 percent compared to 2010 can be accounted for by the significant decrease in Any Deer Permits, designed to provide additional growth in the deer population across much of the state.
The Any-Deer Permit System allows IFW’s wildlife biologists to regulate the taking of antlerless deer. Since adult females are the most important element of the population from a reproductive standpoint, the 2011 decrease in Any-Deer permits will help ensure continued population growth for 2012 and beyond. The protection of antlerless deer resulted in a 23 percent decline in adult doe harvest and a 25 percent decrease in the fawn harvest. The adult buck harvest increased by 5 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. Combined with the mild winter of 2012 (to date), a higher rate of doe survival should be great news to Maine deer hunters and enthusiasts.
Other positive notes on the 2011 harvest include a 21 percent increase in the Youth Day harvest. Youth-hunters were allowed to take deer of either sex in Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) where Any-deer Permits were allocated for the regular rifle season. With a good stretch of fall weather, Youth-hunters capitalized on a great day. Archers also had a 29 percent increase in harvest during the Expanded and October seasons. Marsh Island, in the Orono / Old Town area, was opened to Expanded Archery for the 1st time; providing an important management tool for controlling deer numbers in a fairly urban setting where firearms are restricted. Archery hunting across the state continues to be both an excellent management tool in urban areas, as well as a great opportunity to test skill and knowledge against the superb senses of Maine’s white-tailed deer.
In much of the state, deer will be coming out of the 2011-12 winter in great shape. With warm weather on the horizon, the outlook for deer hunting in 2012 should be exceptional. Come Fall 2012, there will continue to be a variety of seasons to choose from, lots of room to roam and a diverse array of locations to hunt. We should expect both an increase in deer numbers and harvest for 2012 providing a great opportunity to hunt deer in Maine.
For more information in the 2011 deer harvest check out: http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/harvest.htm
Hopefully this has brought back the population. It gets pretty discouraging. The cost of fuel, ammo,and related hunting expenses .
You can go to the store and buy organic meat of all types, and make out better monetarily, than what it costs most folks to kill a deer. Truck, gas, time, license, gun, ammo, and butchering; all for a relatively small amount of meat when it is all said and done. Most would rather shoot one with a camera these days. I say lack of deer isn’t the issue. If you love to hunt, you’ll be out there enjoying every minute of it; with or without the kill. Fact is, hunting is on the decline because mos folks today, don’t enjoy killing for killings sake. So they have no taste for it and hunting license sales are declining. But, in order to make up for that failure, IF&W allows kids to have a special day to shoot a deer, which only gives too many hunting folks a chance to shoot more than one deer a season, and have their kids tag them opening day (when kill rates are highest ). Brilliant.
I can only speak for myself. I could go to a store and pay for a beautifully cut piece of organic meat wrapped in plastic and placed on a foam tray. I would wrather take the animal out myself with one carefully placed shot. Put work and effort into it, see this animal living and breathing and make the decision to shoot or not. I can see where it’s food sources are, if it has young or not. I do not enjoy killing but I do enjoy the fact that I killed this animal that I am eating myself, I enjoy the fact that I was fortunate enough to have this animal come before me at that given time. I see IF&W allowing kids to have a special day as a way for me to teach my child with increased chances of seeing a deer without other hunters possibly interfereing. If “hunting folks” have an oppurtunity to shoot more than one deer thats good for them! Thats more meat for them while hopefully having the principles as me and my family. I know there are unethical hunters out there but hunting isn’t the only thing where people can be unethical.
As far as our deer population goes I think the introduction of turkeys has had a huge negative impact on them. They eat the same food and can cover a lot more ground then a deer can.