In Northern Maine, Deer Harvest Down About 50%

Last winter was a killer on whitetail deer in many spots across the state of Maine. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife estimated significant kills in winter deer yards and took steps to adjust the population of deer in several areas in Northern and Western Maine.

In Northern Maine as well as portions of Western Maine, the Department opted to not issue any “Any-Deer” permits this season. An “Any-Deer” permit allows a hunter with one to harvest either a buck or a doe. “Any-Deer” permits are the key tool used by the Department to manipulate deer populations within each of the many Wildlife Management Districts.

With a combination of no “Any-Deer” permits, fewer deer and in some cases reduced hunter participation, harvest numbers to this point are running about 50% below what one would expect this time of year, according to Kevin Miller’s article found in the Kennebec Journal this morning.

We are now entering into the time of the deer season when it should be peak rutting (mating) season, which gets the bucks on the move in search of does, increasing the hunters chances of encountering a deer. Thanksgiving week is traditionally one of the busier hunting periods in Maine.

Tom Remington

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