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A record 84,776 deer (83,092 white-tailed deer and 1,684 sika deer) were harvested in Maryland this year, topping last season^s take of 77,660 deer by 9 percent. New records were set in the Bow, Firearm and Muzzleloader seasons.
Three years ago deer hunting regulations were adjusted to provide deer hunters with increased opportunities as well as to enhance deer population management through the harvest of antlerless deer. This year^s statewide antlerless deer harvest is 39 percent higher than the antlerless harvest prior to the regulation revisions three season ago.
Firearm deer hunters took 48,248 deer which is 9 percent above last season, and 54 percent of the firearm harvest consisted of antlerless deer. Firearm hunters harvested 57 percent of deer taken during all hunting seasons.
Muzzleloader deer hunters bagged 18,287 deer for a six percent increase over last year. Antlerless deer comprised 57 percent of the total muzzleloader harvest.
Maryland bow hunters harvested 18,241 deer which is 6 percent over last year. Antlerless deer comprised 44 percent of the bow harvest.
Statewide, the top ten counties with the highest total deer harvest are Garrett (7,974), Frederick (7,843), Allegany (7,555), Washington (7,524), Carroll (4,440), Baltimore (4,439), Dorchester (4,382), Worcester (3,732), Kent (3,720) and Montgomery (3,670).
Deer hunters annually spend over one million days in Maryland^s forests, fields and farms. Hunters supplement their family^s dinner table with fresh venison, and this year donated 61 tons of venison to the Maryland Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry Program. The donated venison provided 488,000 meals for Maryland^s hungry.
Uploaded: 3/15/2001
Uploaded: 3/15/2001