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Outlook Not Rosy for Deer Hunters

November 05, 2008 - AUGUSTA -- Maine's deer-hunting season is projected to be the poorest in more than two decades because of the heavy toll of last winter's harsh conditions on the deer herd.

Hunters are expected to harvest about 24,000 deer during the season, which begins Saturday for residents and Monday for nonresidents, according to the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

"That represents the lowest harvest since 1987," said spokeswoman Deborah Turcotte.

Hunters last year harvested 28,884 deer in Maine, which is in line with the state's 20-year average harvest of 28,700.

But this year's hunt won't be as productive.

With the deer numbers down because last winter's deep snows, the state issued fewer permits to hunters to shoot antlerless deer during the 2008 season as part of a management strategy to help deer populations rebound from last winter. The state issued 51,850 any-deer permits for the season, a 23 percent reduction from last year.

Deer populations, especially in the northern parts of the state, were stressed by the heavy snows that began in early December and continued into March. Many deer starved to death, froze or fell victim to predators.

The deer harvest in New Hampshire is expected to be down as well. Officials in Vermont, however, expect an improved deer hunting season over last year's.

By CLARKE CANFIELD, The Associated Press October 30, 2008


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