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Deer Hunters Conclude Challenging Firearm Season
Friday, December 17, 2010
Annapolis, Md. - Maryland deer hunters endured less than favorable weather conditions for the two-week deer firearm season and harvested an estimated 40,694 deer - a 9 percent decrease from last year's harvest for the same period. The total included 13,605 antlered deer and 27,089 antlerless deer. Included in the totals were 516 antlered and 565 antlerless sika deer.
"Cold temperatures, stiff winds and an abundant acorn crop that altered normal deer movements slowed the harvest across the State for the firearm season," said Brian Eyler, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deer Project Leader. "We are pleased to see the Region B antlerless deer harvest remains strong as this is an important aspect of our deer management strategy."
Region A deer hunters (Garrett, Allegany and western Washington counties) reported 4,422 deer for the two-week season, a decline of 8 percent from last year's harvest of 4,809 deer. The antlered harvest decreased an estimated 4 percent from 2,620 deer last year to 2,528 deer this year, while the antlerless harvest decreased 14 percent from 2,189 deer to 1,894 deer.
In Region B, harvest decreased 9 percent from 39,995 deer last year to 36,272 deer this year. The antlered harvest decreased 14 percent from 12,827 deer last year to 11,077 deer this year, while the antlerless tally decreased 7 percent from 27,168 to 25,195 deer this year.
Deer hunters harvested 3,852 deer (1,457 antlered, 2,395 antlerless) on the first Sunday of the two-week season in the 19 counties where Sunday hunting is permitted on private land only. In southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties), hunters took advantage of new legislation that permitted Sunday hunting on the second Sunday of the two-week season and harvested an additional 164 deer.
"Sunday hunting is especially important when unfavorable weather reduces the Saturday harvest, as was the case this year," said Eyler. "Sundays give hunters another chance to get out and put venison in the freezer and contribute to managing Maryland's deer population."
Young hunters enjoyed good weather during the Junior Firearm Deer Hunt this year. The mentored junior deer hunters bagged 2,050 deer, a 5 percent increase over a harvest of 1,961 deer last year. Junior hunters are reminded they may obtain an official DNR Junior Hunter Certificate for deer they harvest this year. The certificates are available from participating retail agents. Junior hunters can also have their picture posted on the DNR website by visitinghttp://www/dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/Junior_Hunters/md_jr_hunter.asp.
Maryland's two-week late muzzleloader season opens Saturday, December 18 and closes on January 1, 2011.
Complete bag limits, season dates, Deer Management Region boundaries and other deer hunting information can be found on the DNR Website at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The 2010-2011 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland's hunting seasons and includes tips on treestand safety (see page 24).
Maryland Junior Hunt (11/13/10) And Two-Week Firearm (11/27 - 12/11/10)
Preliminary Deer Harvest Numbers
Junior Hunt
Two-Week Firearm
County
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Allegany
69
46
115
857
640
1,497
Anne Arundel
12
12
24
253
651
904
Baltimore
35
31
66
557
1,302
1,859
Calvert
21
9
30
200
495
695
Caroline
31
25
56
389
967
1,356
Carroll
106
41
147
846
1,721
2,567
Cecil
42
32
74
481
956
1,437
Charles
46
28
74
614
1,256
1,870
Dorchester
whitetail
48
40
88
464
1,157
1,621
sika
10
5
15
497
519
1,016
Frederick
119
59
178
1,213
2,361
3,574
Garrett
153
87
240
1,273
1,076
2,349
Harford
39
27
66
411
971
1,382
Howard
15
12
27
242
553
795
Kent
55
37
92
464
1,195
1,659
Montgomery
52
54
106
493
1,286
1,779
Prince George's
18
11
29
316
678
994
Queen Anne's
39
23
62
553
1,391
1,944
Somerset
46
30
76
358
1,108
1,466
St. Mary's
20
23
43
394
878
1,272
Talbot
15
26
41
358
1,135
1,493
Washington
117
53
170
1,234
1,606
2,840
Wicomico
whitetail
54
52
106
457
1,269
1,726
sika
12
16
28
Worcester
whitetail
73
52
125
659
1,872
2,531
sika
10
30
40
Total
1,235
815
2,050
13,605
27,089
40,694
Contact:
Josh Davidsburg
410-260-8002 office I 410-507-7526 cell
jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us
Friday, December 17, 2010
Annapolis, Md. - Maryland deer hunters endured less than favorable weather conditions for the two-week deer firearm season and harvested an estimated 40,694 deer - a 9 percent decrease from last year's harvest for the same period. The total included 13,605 antlered deer and 27,089 antlerless deer. Included in the totals were 516 antlered and 565 antlerless sika deer.
"Cold temperatures, stiff winds and an abundant acorn crop that altered normal deer movements slowed the harvest across the State for the firearm season," said Brian Eyler, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Deer Project Leader. "We are pleased to see the Region B antlerless deer harvest remains strong as this is an important aspect of our deer management strategy."
Region A deer hunters (Garrett, Allegany and western Washington counties) reported 4,422 deer for the two-week season, a decline of 8 percent from last year's harvest of 4,809 deer. The antlered harvest decreased an estimated 4 percent from 2,620 deer last year to 2,528 deer this year, while the antlerless harvest decreased 14 percent from 2,189 deer to 1,894 deer.
In Region B, harvest decreased 9 percent from 39,995 deer last year to 36,272 deer this year. The antlered harvest decreased 14 percent from 12,827 deer last year to 11,077 deer this year, while the antlerless tally decreased 7 percent from 27,168 to 25,195 deer this year.
Deer hunters harvested 3,852 deer (1,457 antlered, 2,395 antlerless) on the first Sunday of the two-week season in the 19 counties where Sunday hunting is permitted on private land only. In southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties), hunters took advantage of new legislation that permitted Sunday hunting on the second Sunday of the two-week season and harvested an additional 164 deer.
"Sunday hunting is especially important when unfavorable weather reduces the Saturday harvest, as was the case this year," said Eyler. "Sundays give hunters another chance to get out and put venison in the freezer and contribute to managing Maryland's deer population."
Young hunters enjoyed good weather during the Junior Firearm Deer Hunt this year. The mentored junior deer hunters bagged 2,050 deer, a 5 percent increase over a harvest of 1,961 deer last year. Junior hunters are reminded they may obtain an official DNR Junior Hunter Certificate for deer they harvest this year. The certificates are available from participating retail agents. Junior hunters can also have their picture posted on the DNR website by visitinghttp://www/dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/Junior_Hunters/md_jr_hunter.asp.
Maryland's two-week late muzzleloader season opens Saturday, December 18 and closes on January 1, 2011.
Complete bag limits, season dates, Deer Management Region boundaries and other deer hunting information can be found on the DNR Website at www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide. The 2010-2011 Maryland Guide to Hunting & Trapping issued with each hunting license contains detailed information about all of Maryland's hunting seasons and includes tips on treestand safety (see page 24).
Maryland Junior Hunt (11/13/10) And Two-Week Firearm (11/27 - 12/11/10)
Preliminary Deer Harvest Numbers
Junior Hunt
Two-Week Firearm
County
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Antlered
Antlerless
Total
Allegany
69
46
115
857
640
1,497
Anne Arundel
12
12
24
253
651
904
Baltimore
35
31
66
557
1,302
1,859
Calvert
21
9
30
200
495
695
Caroline
31
25
56
389
967
1,356
Carroll
106
41
147
846
1,721
2,567
Cecil
42
32
74
481
956
1,437
Charles
46
28
74
614
1,256
1,870
Dorchester
whitetail
48
40
88
464
1,157
1,621
sika
10
5
15
497
519
1,016
Frederick
119
59
178
1,213
2,361
3,574
Garrett
153
87
240
1,273
1,076
2,349
Harford
39
27
66
411
971
1,382
Howard
15
12
27
242
553
795
Kent
55
37
92
464
1,195
1,659
Montgomery
52
54
106
493
1,286
1,779
Prince George's
18
11
29
316
678
994
Queen Anne's
39
23
62
553
1,391
1,944
Somerset
46
30
76
358
1,108
1,466
St. Mary's
20
23
43
394
878
1,272
Talbot
15
26
41
358
1,135
1,493
Washington
117
53
170
1,234
1,606
2,840
Wicomico
whitetail
54
52
106
457
1,269
1,726
sika
12
16
28
Worcester
whitetail
73
52
125
659
1,872
2,531
sika
10
30
40
Total
1,235
815
2,050
13,605
27,089
40,694
Contact:
Josh Davidsburg
410-260-8002 office I 410-507-7526 cell
jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us
