Each autumn, the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service, a part of the Department of Natural Resources, counts the number of deer checked in during the early part of the hunting seasons.
This year, hunters bagged more than 20,000 deer during the first several weeks of archery season and the three-day early muzzleloader season. That is a whopping 24% increase from 2023.
Reaction to this news could be seen as half-full or half-empty.
One could say that this large harvest is great and portends a wonderful upcoming firearms season, which begins Nov. 30. Or, a hunter could think that with that many deer already in freezers or at taxidermists it could mean that venison on the hoof could be harder to find.
I tend to be a half-full person for the most part and think if that many deer have already been harvested we should be in for a pretty good gun hunt.
Through Oct. 31, hunters in Allegany County checked in 869 deer, 465 bucks and 404 antlerless. That topped the previous year by 22% when 711 deer bit the dust. That total was made up of 433 bucks and 278 antlerless.
In Garrett County, the current early kill was 1,370 deer, 807 bucks and 563 antlerless. In 2023, 6% fewer deer were checked in during the early period. There were 1,293 deer harvested of which 770 were bucks and 523 were antlerless.
This year’s statewide harvest of 20,592 consisted of 8,619 bucks and 11,973 antlerless.
The annual deer harvest fluctuates from year to year for many reasons, including hunter effort, weather conditions, availability of natural foods like acorns and current population size of the herd. Good weather conditions and increased hunter participation were primarily responsible for the increased harvest this year, according to WHS Associate Director Brian Eyler.
The firearms season is the largest contributor to the annual deer harvest by hunters. Weather for the opening days in far Western Maryland are forecast to be quite cold. For example, the predictions for Grantsville during the first week of the gun season are for highs in the 20s and lows in the teens. Toss in some winds of 14 to 20 mph and you can start to get the gelid picture.
Cold weather can be a hunting advantage, keeping deer on their feet to feed.
“The two-week firearms season remains one of Maryland’s most popular hunts,” WHS Director Karina Stonesifer said. “The season occurs when temperatures are often cooler and provides hunters the opportunity to spend time with friends and family enjoying the outdoors. For thousands of Marylanders, venison provides high protein meals with a low carbon footprint. And the firearms season is also essential for managing the state’s abundant deer population.”
An antler-point restriction remains in effect. Deer hunters may harvest one antlered white-tailed deer within the yearly bag limit that does not meet the requirement of having at least three points on one antler. Any additional antlered deer taken within the established bag limit must meet the minimum point restriction. Licensed junior hunters and apprentice license holders, 16 years of age or younger, are exempt from this restriction.