Deer Management News This Week

Could new deer regulations finally happen? February 26, 2015 South Carolina, Enquirerherald
... After years of wishing and hoping, ethical sportsmen across the Palmetto State are finally getting to see legislators pay attention ... For the first time, a statewide limit would be placed on the number of bucks each hunter could harvest during the fall, and would include the use of deer tags for both bucks and does...

Minnesota Supreme Court Upholds Deer Hunting Conviction February 26, 2015 KSTP.com
... The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled a man who had a loaded weapon while he was concealed in a deer blind was "pursuing" deer and needed a hunting license..

Surge in state’s deer population February 26, 2015 Idaho, Post Register
... A series of mild winters has led to a large surge in the state’s deer population.  fourth consecutive mild winter ... In the Upper Snake Region, Fish and Game proposes expanding hunting opportunity by either extending the general season by seven days or increasing the number of controlled-hunt tags by more than 800 this fall...  hunters are leery of the increases ...

Proposal to Cut Missouri Conservation Permit Fees Changed February 26, 2015 OzarksFirst.com
... Munzlinger’s bill no longer eliminates permit fees for Missouri residents, but it does provide a discount for non-resident landowners... No one testified in support of the bill, but there were many wildlife organizations who were opposed to the new legislation...

Perfect storm: Brainworm in Idaho's wildlife, Legislature February 26, 2015 Idaho Press-Tribune
... As Valley County veterinarians, we are alarmed about Idaho’s legislative rule proposal to downgrade meningeal worm restrictions for elk importation from east of the 100th meridian, essentially the eastern half of the U.S... Brainworm as a species is so successful that 80 percent of white-tailed deer in some eastern locations are infected...

Three-year deer goals approved for Wisconsin February 26, 2015 Eau Claire Leader-Telegram
... The board approved recommendations from all counties, even though state Department of Natural Resources staff questioned the wisdom of recommendations to increase deer numbers in five counties where chronic wasting disease had been detected and four counties, including Washburn, which are next to a county where the deer disease was detected...

Dearborn, Hunters bag 14 deer during 1st night of Dearborn cull February 26, 2015 Michigan, Detroit Free Press 
... most of the responses his office received — 10 phone calls or e-mails — involved hunters requesting to participate ... "Oftentimes people suggest that the deer be relocated, but that's not legal in the state of Michigan," ...

... The Ohio Supreme Court now must decide whether a Huron County man should have to pay nearly $28,000 to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for hunting on private property without permission...  Risner challenged the ad
ditional payment, saying ODNR had already taken possession of the deer carcass...

Senate leader puts fenced-hunting bill on hold February 25, 2015 Indiana, Indianapolis Business Journal
... Senate President Pro Tem David Long ... has stopped fenced hunting bills in the past while waiting for the courts to weigh in ...

Locals, activists decry border fence's environmental impacts February 25, 2015 Arizona, Willcox Range News
... the border wall has resulted in erosion, flood damage to both countries and a stymieing of wildlife migration... Years ago, mule deer were so plentiful on his ranch that the Arizona Game and Fish Department would conduct an annual survey on his property... “We don’t see that any more,” ...

March key month for local deer February 25, 2015 New Hampshire, Press & Sun-Bulletin
...  "30 most critical days for winter deer survival have a name, and it is March." ... By late winter, much of the reachable browse may be gone. QDMA suggests cutting browse in such a manner to put more buds and twigs within reach of deer. Use hinge-cutting to drop branched trees and shrubs ...

WV Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signs deer farming bill into law February 25, 2015 West Virginia, 13 WOWKTV ·
...  The measure puts deer farm regulations under the scope of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, removing it from the Division of Natural Resources...

Cuyahoga, National Park Service OK's sharpshooting of deer in Cuyahoga Valley National Park February 25, 2015 Ohio, Cleveland Plain Dealer 
... sharpshooters will be used early on to quickly reduce deer densities ... the park has about 41 deer per square mile. The optimal number is 20. [a much wider range is suggested by research]

...  the powerful 50 to 60 elk breeders continue to force their will on Idaho policymakers despite the fact that legitimate elk hunting brings more than $300 million into the state economy and sport for thousands of Idahoans...
     Idaho lawmakers vote 5-4 to protect wild big game February 24, 2015 The Spokesman Review
... nearly half of the committee was willing to back a rule change sought by domestic elk ranchers at the risk of subjecting wild deer, elk and moose to a deadly parasitic worm...

Deer kill is under way at U-M in Dearborn February 25, 2015 Michigan, Detroit Free Press
... Hunters swarmed across the University of Michigan-Dearborn on Tuesday night to kill about 50 deer ... The hunt will cost the university $300 per deer ... The deer have been ruining plant life ...

The Impact of Feral Hogs on Deer February 25, 2015 Texas, Hogman-Outdoors
... In addition to restricting food sources, wild hogs have the potential to carry several diseases which can be threatening to deer ...  Perhaps the worst threat feral hogs pose to deer comes in a threat to their young. Hogs are known for preying on fawns...

Roadkill-permitting bill would help prevent poaching February 25, 2015 Montana, Helena Independent Record
...  House Bill 351, which would require those wishing to take roadkill to first have the animal checked by a peace officer...

Scott Township votes against deer culling in park bordering Mt. Lebanon February 25, 2015 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 
... Scott Township officials say Mt. Lebanon has no legal right to cull deer in Twin Hills Park and voted against allowing the municipality access to the property...

Mt. Lebanon residents opposed to deer cull February 24, 2015 Pennsylvania, The Almanac
... Mt. Lebanon residents turned out in force on Feb. 23 to again protest the municipality’s trap-and-bolt deer cull. They lined the length of road outside the municipal building brandishing signs printed with slogans such as “$75,000 Slaughter” ...

... Chronic wasting disease (CWD) affects North American elk and deer, but has not been observed in humans. Using a mouse model ...Their study identifies a small loop in the human prion protein that confers resistance to chronic wasting disease...

Deer, bear, turkey harvest data announced February 24, 2015 Virginia, Tidewater Review 
... During the past deer season 190,745 deer were reported killed by deer hunters in Virginia. This total included 88,148 antlered bucks, 14,592 button bucks, 87,937 does (46%) and 68 unclassified deer. The fall 2014 deer kill total was down 22% from the 244,440 deer reported killed last year. It is also 18% below the last ten year average of 233,350...

Sportsmen press for veto on deer farm legislation February 23, 2015 West Virginia MetroNews
... “We’re hoping for a veto from the governor on the captive cervid bill, ” said Wildlife Federation President Jerod Harman. ... The legislation would transfer control of captive cervids from the Division of Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture...  the potential for wildlife disease ... the North American Wildlife Model... allows that wild game belongs to everybody...

Lawmakers' efforts a threat to agency February 23, 2015 Missouri, Columbia Daily Tribune
... It took a constitutional amendment in 1976 to take funding out of the hands of politicians by creating the conservation sales tax... Missouri is the role model in our nation when it comes to conservation and natural history...

Antlerless hunting proposals reflect lower 2014 harvest February 23, 2015 West Virginia MetroNews
... The drastic drop in the number of bucks hunters killed in 2014 is reflected in the proposed regulations for the 2015 antlerless deer hunting season in West Virginia... a reduction in the antlerless bag limit in selected counties ...  number of counties where hunters are required to kill an antlerless deer before they could kill their second buck ...

Lawmakers to DNR: We want more deer up north February 23, 2015 Minnesota, wadenapj.com 
... echoing a refrain among many of the state's half a million deer hunters: Deer populations in many areas have fallen unacceptably low, and the quality of a fall tradition is suffering... As recently as 1972, the deer population was so low that no hunting was allowed. But populations rebounded dramatically ... 

Deer Plans Pile Up While Deer Population Goes Down February 23, 2015 Maine, George's Outdoor News - Bangor Daily News
... Maine’s had a lot of deer plans over the last 30 years ... In every plan, lack of wintering habitat was cited as the most important issue... SAM’s 1996 task force noted, “During the past 25 years the amount and quality of wintering habitat in Maine has declined markedly ... In 2011, Gerry Lavigne wrote ... the loss of deer wintering habitat must be reversed ...

... A bidder from Canada has set a new world record high, paying $390,000 for the right to hunt one mule deer buck at the state park next November... bids for the Antelope Island mule deer hunt have generated more than $1.4 million for wildlife conservation on the preserve in the middle of the Great Salt Lake...

W.Va. DNR proposes more conservative deer regulations for 2015 February 23, 2015 West Virginia, The Charleston Gazette 
... “The regulation changes are designed to reduce the number of [female] deer that hunters kill.” ... Johansen said a 34 percent drop in last year’s buck kill triggered the DNR’s move toward a more conservative approach...

Mt. Lebanon, Stop the Deer Culling, Petition February 23, 2015 Pennsylvania, Change.org
... The idea of trapping deer into corrals to kill them in mass numbers is a cruel and ineffective way of controlling the deer population. Deer are panicked inside of these corrals and often receive injuries trying to run, making it hard for the shooters to get a clean shot...

Veterinarians to Idaho: Don't risk importing parasitic worm with farmed elk February 23, 2015 The Spokesman-Review
... the Idaho Legislature is continuing to pursue a controversial proposal that would ease restrictions on importing and transferring farm-raised elk that could expose wild deer, elk and moose to a deadly parasitic worm... This is not just an Idaho issue. Meningeal worms are a problem some scientists have dubbed as "ebola for wildlife." ...

Hunters to collect 200 Allamakee County deer samples February 22, 2015 Iowa, thegazette.com
... The effort will be limited to 30 square miles near Harpers Ferry where a wild deer tested positive for the disease during the 2013 hunting season and three more were found this past fall from hunter-harvested deer. [Deer must be killed to collect samples for CWD]

Vt. shuts down ‘canned hunt’ facility February 22, 2015 Vermont, Rutland Herald 
...  photos were of a man ...with a heavy-antlered whitetail deer weighing more than 300 pounds that he shot ... in a fenced-in compound as it approached a feeding trough... The kill, of course, was nothing even close to what one would call “a hunt.” Instead, it was a case of a man posing as a hunter, in total camouflage...  the last “hunting preserve” left in the Green Mountain State will no longer be in operation by the end of this month...

Bad idea: Selling meat from Md.’s wild deer February 22, 2015 Maryland, Cumberland Times News Homepage
... Senate Bill 748 would make it legal for people who kill deer via crop damage permits to sell the venison. Hooo boy! ... Putting a price on the head of a wild animal can be perilous to the critter’s future... 

Mt. Lebanon's deer herd in the crosshairs February 22, 2015 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
 ... deer will be baited, trapped and shot at close range in six Mt. Lebanon parks.   ... Neither PZP nor Gon-a-con, anti-fertility drugs used on animals, are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration because every doe vaccinated would need yearly booster shots, which is not possible. ... said Chris Rosenberry, a biologist and head of the Game Commission deer and elk division. [Gonacon and PZP are approved by the appropriate federal agency and have commonly been applied, Deer Birth Control, Contraception, see case examples at lower left of page]
... An ad hoc committee established to look into how the deer population is impacting Shelton has recommended allowing bowhunting on “a small number of suitable city open space properties.” ... The report  says studies indicate a deer population needs to be reduced to 8 to 12 deer per square mile to have a significant impact on the tick population and associated illnesses. [Much of the recent research indicates a deer cull is generally not effective against Lyme disease]

Increase in St. Joe elk good news for hunters February 22, 2015 Washington, The Spokesman Review
... Two hard winters starting in 2007 delivered a blow to the region’s big game ... a combination of factors ... declining habitat quality, predation by black bears and mountain lions and wolves, changes in the ability of people to access areas and technology that can increase hunting success rates.” ...

Hunters get final shot at Washington rule proposals February 22, 2015 The Spokesman Review
... Idaho allows baiting for bears but not for deer and elk.  Washington voters passed a 1996 initiative banning the use of bait for black bear hunting, but the state still allows baiting for deer and elk... The four-point minimum for whitetail bucks in Units 117 and 121 is up for reconsideration ...

DNR endorses groups' deer herd recommendations, despite CWD February 22, 2015 Wisconsin, The Idaho Statesman
... advisory councils in nine Wisconsin counties whose deer are threatened by chronic wasting disease have recommended growing or maintaining their herds despite the advice of scientists who say that shrinking a herd is the best way to control the disease's spread...

... Biologists warn that coyotes in some areas are having a devastating effect on fawns — and that has implications for future generations of the whitetail deer... “Removing/killing coyotes simply opens up territory for others to move in and occupy,” Mowry said ...

DNR takes to the sky to count deer February 22, 2015 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
... knowing how many animals are in a population — within realistic parameters — is fundamental to wildlife management.  The DNR uses aerial surveys for select wildlife species ... It began using aerial deer surveys after regulations to promote or require the hunting of antlerless deer altered the traditional harvest and made the Sex-Age-Kill model less reliable...

Proposed law would limit state deer harvest February 21, 2015 South Carolina, Charleston Post Courier
... The bill would establish a limit of four bucks and four does per hunter each year and would require tags for all deer harvested. South Carolina residents would pay $15 for the tags while non-residents would be charged $30... seven percent of the hunters in South Carolina kill 30 percent of the deer harvested, meaning some hunters are taking as many as 20 to 30 deer during a season...

‘Devil is in the details’ for new deer-farm regulations February 21, 2015 West Virginia, The Charleston Gazette
...  the state Legislature passed a bill that would transfer authority over high-fence hunting operations, deer farms and other so-called “captive cervid facilities” from the Division of Natural Resources to the Department of Agriculture... It will be interesting to see whether West Virginia’s Ag officials write regulations that protect the health of West Virginia’s wild deer, or if they write regulations designed to improve deer farmers’ bottom line...

Deer signs on Kansas 10 have been taken down February 21, 2015 Kansas City Star (blog)
... Researchers determined that the signs do little to prevent crashes ... the new policy sets a higher threshold for placement of the signs...

Deer hunting had $297M economic impact in 2014 February 21, 2015 Iowa, Mason City Globe Gazette
... deer hunting generating $197 million in retail sales and had a $297 million economic impact in the state, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources...

iowadnr.gov
... What is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)?  A: CWD is a neurological disease affecting primarily deer, moose and elk. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion, that attacks the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and lose bodily functions. It is always fatal... 

... This study was conducted for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine deer hunters’ opinions on deer hunting and deer management in California. The study entailed a scientific multi-modal survey of California deer hunters... When asked whether the quality of deer hunting in California over the past 5 years has gotten better or worse (or remained the same), the majority of deer hunters (59%) say it has declined. This is well more than the percentage who say it has improved (5%) or has remained the same (26%)... 

Seek middle ground with state wolves February 20, 2015 Wisconsin, Fond du Lac Reporter
... The western Great Lakes wolf population is estimated at 3,700 with approximately 680 in Wisconsin, down from 830 in 2013...

Hunters Challenge DNR Deer Management Practices February 20, 2015 Minnesota, CBS Minnesota
... Minnesota Bowhunters president Brooks Johnson talked about the changing landscape of the deer population ... some deer hunting groups are looking into hiring outside help to look at the state’s deer population if the state does not perform an audit...

How many deer is enough in Minnesota? February 20, 2015 Minneapolis Star Tribune
... those seeking a review, or audit, of the agency’s whitetail program want events leading to the state’s current deer shortage dissected in detail, and processes put in place to prevent a recurrence... the chance the legislative auditor will actually critique deer management in the state isn’t good ... Aiding the rebuilding of the state’s whitetail herd is the current relatively mild winter...

Study providing info on mule deer habitat February 20, 2015 Wyoming, Billings Gazette
... The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been collaring mule deer in the winter ranges near LaBarge, Kemmerer and Evanston with the goal to fit radio collars on 70 does to determine habitats preferred by the deer...

Trumansburg has killed 81 deer using archers within village limits -- with more to come February 21, 2015 New York, Syracuse.com
... killing 81 since September using archers shooting over bait from tree stands, according to a report on the village's website... According to Blossey's recent report, 32 deer were taken in September; 16 in October; 11 in November; one in December and 18 in January. He noted deer traveled an average of 50 yards after initially getting struck by an arrow. The shooting took place on weekends and with the exception of one, only during the evenings. He added that 17 deer were hit, but not initially recovered...

... Last year, contractors completed slash treatment on 232 acres of his land, opening up the canopy and putting much-needed space in between the trees. More work will continue this spring and summer.  “Just by opening the canopy of the trees, you bring tremendous benefits to the land,” Fisher said. “It reduces the risk for wildfire, it helps with soil erosion, the wildlife habitat stays intact, the trees grow taller and stronger, and the wood can become marketable timber.” ... “The elk and deer love this area now that it’s open,” Fisher said.  But habitat improvement isn’t the only benefit of slash treatment. The primary benefit is reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfire....

Mt. Lebanon deer management program gets go-ahead February 20, 2015 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
... The cost is $500 per deer with a target of 150 and a ceiling of $75,000.  The contractor is in the process of setting up traps and baiting them ... The stated goal of Mt. Lebanon commissioners is to reduce the number of collisions between vehicles and deer [studies indicate that road management is often more cost effective than a cull] ...

Bill aims to establish first-ever limit on deer hunting in South Carolina February 19, 2015 South Carolina, Myrtle Beach Online
... bill, S 454, proposes establishing a limit of bucks in the entire state and would require tags for all deer harvested... “South Carolina is the only state in the nation without any limit at all [on bucks], so it’s a great thing on many fronts,” said Campsen, R-Charleston...

... Known as “Whitetail Prairie,” the property adjoins the 32,000-acre Beartooth Wildlife Management Area and was immediately conveyed to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department to be added to the WMA...

... the number of fawns per 100 does well above recent averages. Several herds had more than 80 fawns per 100 does. Research shows at least 66 fawns per 100 does are needed to support population growth... 

No end to declining trend in northeast moose herd February 19, 2015 Minnesota, Outdoor News 
... DNR researchers are heading into their third year of concurrent studies looking separately at both adult moose and calves, trying to figure out why they are dying ... just because a moose might be killed by a wolf doesn’t mean there weren’t some other underlying causes that made that moose susceptible to being killed by the wolf...

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources discusses Mule Deer transplant project February 19, 2015 ironcountytoday.com 
... “we’d rather the deer get moved to an area where the population is lacking and where there is enough winter range, rather than see them just die or get killed because of the lack of winter range where they are now.” ...

Fish, wildlife managers weigh in on mild winter February 19, 2015 North Dakota, Dickinson Press
...  deer and other critters are utilizing a lot of energy from feed sources to bedding areas,” he said. “They’re able to move freely, conserve a lot of energy, and it puts them into good shape going into spring.”  That’s apparent in the low number of depredation complaints from farmers about animals raiding feed supplies ...

Jury awards $2,500 to hunter who sued DNR warden for wrongful arrest February 18, 2015 Wisconsin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 
... The appellate court restored Rooni's civil rights suit on the grounds that whether Biser had probable cause to arrest Rooni was a factual determination for a jury to make...

... Representatives Sal Esquivel (R), who is co-chair of the Oregon Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus, explains what's happening: "Probably the largest factors contributing to the decline in hunting and fishing participation ... Declining deer and elk populations, whether it be from habitat loss, increased mortality from predators, or other factors, discourages a lot of people from heading into the field...

... the Wyoming Migration Initiative (WMI) ...  a cooperative trying to protect the state's big-game migratory routes from development, allowing the movement of these animals to continue as nature intended... The WMI now fits animals with GPS collars that can collect location data at time points ranging from every 15 minutes to an hour...

Prof. studies why Delta deer are biggest in state February 18, 2015 Mississippi, The Commercial Dispatch
...  roughly 1.75 million deer in Mississippi ... Delta deer are bigger than those in other regions because Delta soil has more nutrients and the deer have more to eat. The average deer in the Delta is 44 pounds heavier and has antlers around 25 inches longer than a deer the same age and sex from the Lower Coast Plane, Strickland said...

... Using aerial surveys by the state DNR, the total in Minnesota has dropped from 8,840 in 2006 to 3,450... the number of calves that survive to their first year has also been low.  “This indicates the population will likely continue to decline in the foreseeable future,” ... Studies also have connected winter moose deaths to a warming climate ...

Winter can take a toll on wildlife February 18, 2015 New Hampshire, Eagle-Tribune
...  It's those storms in mid- to late March that can be problem ... By that time, deer have burned off most of their fat reserves and are literally starving ...

Captive hunting bill goes to Senate February 18, 2015 Indiana, The Journal Gazette 
... House Bill 1453 originally would have legalized shooting deer bred for antlers behind high fences for anyone who wanted to start a preserve, pay an annual licensing fee and follow modest regulations. ... could continue on a small number of properties ...


Bills under consideration would affect KDWPT February 17, 2015 Kansas, Hays Post 
... SB46 ... would require domesticated deer that enter a premises alive or leave a premises alive or dead for any purpose, other than for direct movement to a licensed or registered slaughter facility in Kansas, have official identification ...

... Following the state’s first CWD-positive test in a wild deer in 2013, three more were confirmed during the recently concluded deer season — all within a 5-mile radius near Harpers Ferry... 

Legislative bill looks to eliminate hunting permit fees February 17, 2015 Missouri, Heartland Connection
... A bill sponsored by State Senator Brian Munzlinger would eliminate hunting, trapping and fishing permit fees for Missouri residents... could cause the Missouri Department of Conservation to fall into a funding crisis...

Legislators hold fate of fenced hunting February 17, 2015 Indiana, KPC News
... State Sen. Pete Miller, R-Avon, offered a bill outlawing high-fenced deer hunting. He argues that it is not a sport, and it should be banned.  State Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, wrote a bill that legalizes high-fence hunting ... Miller said he’s been told his bill won’t even get a committee hearing, let alone a vote...
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania Game Commission OKs Mt. Lebanon deer-culling planFebruary 17, 2015 Tribune-Review
... The Pennsylvania Game Commission authorized Mt. Lebanon's controversial plan to lure up to 150 deer into corrals with bait, trap them with remotely-triggered gates and shoot them with silenced rifles ... the first time such a deer population control measure has been attempted in Pennsylvania...

Will things change for Illinois deer? February 17, 2015 Heartland Outdoors
... During the past decade and a half, I’ve stated in magazine articles that effective deer management can’t be solely performed with deer/vehicle collision statistics. But, in fact, that’s what our DNR has attempted to accomplish... Ongoing disease, the over-glut of permits, and the open floodgate of non-residents have become a major detriment to this state’s deer herd ...

Idaho wildlife official warns against changing elk importing rules February 17, 2015 The Spokesman-Review
... In two letters to the Idaho Department of Agriculture, Fish and Game Director Virgil Moore implored the agency to maintain its existing restrictions on importing domestic elk from areas that are endemic to meningeal worms.  “A few infected elk shedding a few larvae could infect native white-tailed deer ...

...  No ethical sportsman wants to lose big game after the shot... Yet, over a dozen states prohibit the use of the most refined search “tool” available to them: tracking dogs... Those states with blanket prohibitions against the use of dogs for tracking game, can take a lesson from the forward-thinking majority of states like Michigan...

Bill would open hunting seasons to crossbows February 16, 2015 West Virginia, Charleston Daily Mail
... A bill making its way through the state Legislature seeks to allow West Virginians to use a crossbow during any hunting season and designate a special season for the weapon... Jenkins said the Division of Natural Resources did not have a position in terms of the allowance of crossbow hunting...

Did our DNR sell the Herd for Pennies? February 16, 2015 Minnesota, Minnesota Bowhunters Inc.
... The truth is the DNR planned to cut the herd in half, and they did it behind our backs ... Certified forests are a green initiative that gives companies the option to use timber grown under a certain set of conditions and parameters. One of these parameters is the deer herd must be lowered to a level that allows certain measurable new tree growth. If you want your wood certified you have to lower the deer herd, and the decrease was to be substantial in MN...

Studying Deer, and Migration, to Keep Herd Moving February 16, 2015 Wyoming, New Telegraph
... Migrations in the West follow what biologists call the “green wave” in the spring ... winter range in the Red Desert to spring and summer grounds in the Hoback River basin... the top challenge for protecting the route — a bottleneck near Fremont Lake. The Conservation Fund is in the process of buying the area involved for about $2 million, to protect it from development...

... H.R. 644, includes extensions to a number of different tax credits; it passed with 67 percent of Representatives in support... [From Mule Deer Foundation]: Private lands provide some of the best habitat for the country’s mule deer and black-tailed deer ...

Best way to feed deer is with a chainsaw February 15, 2015 New York, Wellsville Daily Reporter 
... much of the lowest branches in our woods are already browsed by deer. By cutting down brush and trees, whitetails are able to gain sustenance from the tree tops. And it is the right food for them because they are geared up to eat buds... deer fed dried herbaceous plants like hay in the winter have been in fact known to "starve" because their stomach's chemistry is not able to quickly change from browse back to a herbaceous fare...

Proposed 2015-16 Ohio deer season includes smaller bag limits February 15, 2015 The Columbus Dispatch
... proposals for next season eliminate the use of antlerless permits in all but 10 urban counties, reduce bag limits in most counties, and cut the statewide bag limit from nine whitetails to six ... 

Amended deer farming bill passes February 15, 2015 West Virginia, Times West Virginian 
...  Passage means the Department of Agriculture will be completely in charge of deer farming regulation.  The act will allow for venison to be commercially sold... 

North Shore residents sound off to DNR about deer numbers February 15, 2015 Minnesota, Duluth News Tribune 
... One after another, North Shore residents walked to the microphone to tell wildlife officials with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources that too many wolves roam the north woods and that they’ve driven down the deer herd... “I think we should close the deer season ...

New Colorado big game hunting regulations to take effect this fall February 15, 2015 Denver Post
... new restrictions for moose hunters in game management units 20 and 29 are aimed at preventing a repeat of the public-relations nightmare that ensued when a bowhunter shot and killed a bull moose in front of an unsuspecting audience gathered to observe wildlife ...

Oregon at crossroads over hunting, fishing February 14, 2015 Dalles Chronicle
... Vic Coggins, a retired ODFW district biologist who found himself at ground zero in northeast Oregon's "elk wars" of the 1980s, recalls that agricultural interests wanted elk removed to improve range conditions for livestock... a disproportionate number of commissioners from the livestock industry, flew over Zumwalt Prairie and declared there were too many elk there, and so the commission began issuing tags for what amounted to a wholesale slaughter ...

Ohio's Deer Summit concerns tallied and quantified by the numbers February 14, 2015 Outdoors with Frischkorn
... only 160 people total took the time ... Licensing fees for out-of-state hunters and the widely held belief these fees are too low... the widely held belief that bag limits on deer as they exist now are too high/liberal...

Mt. Lebanon leaders should cancel the slaughter February 14, 2015 Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
... In the statute designating the state animal of Pennsylvania, the white-tailed deer is described as “possessing intelligence, endurance and character.” In Mt. Lebanon, it’s called a nuisance.  The township commissioners, therefore, plan to reduce the deer population in a particularly horrific way: luring the animals into pens and shooting them ...

Chronic Wasting Disease reported in Weber County elk February 13, 2015 Utah, 
outbreaknewstoday.com
... The office of the Utah State Veterinarian confirms that one domestic bull elk has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).  The discovery came following routine testing of a male elk that was harvested by a hunter at the Broadmouth Canyon Ranch in Weber County...

SDSU researches which cover crops are likely to attract deer February 13, 2015 South Dakota, Tri-State Neighbor
... Fall cover crops, such as clover, turnips and peas, can provide nutrient-rich winter forage and help lure hungry deer away from hay and other stored livestock feed, according to Distinguished Professor Jonathan Jenks ... Cover crops are an indirect way of possibly preventing depredation and redistributing deer densities ...

Endangered, threatened or over-populated: The debate continues February 13, 2015 Minnesota, Lake County News Chronicle ... there is good evidence that the decline in the moose population seems to correlate with the years when the wolf population increased. He said the predation of young moose and early deaths of older moose due to disease or other factors contribute to a declining population...

... Deer regulations have been trending toward reduced bag limits and restricted use of antlerless permits in recent years. Proposals to reduce bag limits and adjust hunting seasons work to stabilize deer populations.  Deer population goals will be revised this summer ...

Southern Westchester deer-hunt hitch: More people February 13, 2015 New York, The Journal News | LoHud.com
... Since the county started a deer-management program in its parks six years ago, between 60 and 100 archers licensed at a time have killed 525 deer ...  Hastings-on-Hudson began a contraceptive program last year at a cost of roughly $10,000 a year.  "You just don't kill your way out of it," [Kiley] Blackman said...

Kentucky bans Hoosier captive-deer imports Indiana, February 13, 2015 Indiana, WHAS 11
... Kentucky's state veterinarian this week temporarily closed the state's borders to captive-deer shipments from Indiana, citing concerns about disease-contaminated animals... Kentucky had already banned captive deer imports from Pennsylvania and Ohio due to outbreaks of chronic wasting disease ...

... Ohio Auditor Dave Yost recommended yesterday that the state charge more for fishing and hunting permits ... The changes could generate more than $8.3 million in annual returns and $3.9 million in one-time savings ... Raising the nonresident deer permit from $24 to $38 would raise $254,175 a year ...




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Deer in the News

‘Snuff flicks’ spoil reverence of deer hunting for profit February 26, 2015 Washington, The Spokesman-Review
... Deer hunting shows are the worst – “snuff flicks” I call them, where a wild animal dies for entertainment and profit... true deer hunting is a personal thing with equal amounts of elation and misgiving, reverence and even dejection. Hunting shows ... almost make me ashamed to admit I’m a deer hunter...

Fox out, deer in as state mammal in House bill February 23, 2015 Georgia, Atlanta Journal Constitution
... State lawmakers on Monday voted overwhelmingly to approve legislation naming the ubiquitous deer Georgia’s official state mammal. While House Bill 70 originally bestowed that honor to the gray fox ...



Unusual deer, unusual circumstances February 21, 2015 Pennsylvania, Blogs
... about one third of the does in wildlife management unit 2G are 6.5-years-old or older, and that one was 13.5-years-old.  More recently, they learned of two old deer living in western Pennsylvania. Both were does trapped and collared in 2003, one near Echo, another near Kittanning. Both are still alive and – at a minimum – 13.5 years old...



Poaching case should be wakeup call February 20, 2015 Minnesota, Minneapolis Star Tribune
... We shouldn’t buy into the perverse logic that squealing on a poacher makes us the jerks. The offender is the one attacking our collective reputations and our sport. This much we know: Only 6 percent of the U.S. population hunts. We are members of a shrinking minority, and we’ve got a cheating problem in our ranks...

Oklahoma Man Pleads No Contest To Killing Rare Deer February 19, 2015 Oklahoma's Own NewsOn6
... The spotted buck was well-known in the Park Hill area as "Patches." The deer was killed along Horseshoe Bend Road, but game wardens said the man who shot Patches let him suffer for hours first.  “It was kind of like a pet,” ...

These dogs have a nose for deer antlers February 18, 2015 Mississippi, Springfield News-Leader
... it’s time to start looking for shed antlers ... This a sport that anyone can be involved in. The neat part of shed hunting is getting out of doors. You are hunting, you are working with your hunting companion — the dog ... 

Man runs over deer for "free meat" February 17, 2015 Texas, KETK
... A Henderson County game warden received a call from the Chandler Police Department stating a caller witnessed a person run over a white-tailed doe in a neighborhood, and then threw the deer carcass in the bed of his truck and sped off. Another caller informed the warden he had seen a doe in the bed of a truck with only the hindquarters missing...

The interesting history of madstones February 15, 2015 Arkansas, Arkansas Onine
... Before Louis Pasteur developed a successful vaccination for rabies in 1885, a long, slow death from the disease was a forgone conclusion unless, many people believed, a madstone could be obtained, preferably one removed from the stomach of an albino deer...

Give wintering whitetails a break - it could save their lives February 15, 2015 Massachusetts, Mass Live The Republican 
... While few snowmobilers will dog a deer, there are some that indeed think it to be a "man thing." I was scouting when I spotted a big rack buck running like a drunk at me, its tongue hanging out of its mouth as it attempted to catch air. A short distance behind was a snow buggy and its master. I flagged him down by stepping in front of the vehicle ...

... Enforcement agents received a tip about illegal night hunting taking place in Jefferson Parish, and began monitoring social media. Based on the information collected there, they were able to obtain search warrants for residences, cell phones and social-media accounts...


A good dog makes shed hunting easier February 8, 2015 Missouri, Columbia Daily Tribune 
... The basic premise is: Bucks drop their antlers in late winter, and you hike around trying to find them... For years, Lee wanted a shed dog but felt he couldn’t have one because of his and Tiffany’s crazy travel schedule... Tank is now 5 years old, and this season he has matured into an incredible antler dog...

Antler shed season in full swing February 7, 2015 Kentucky, Courier-Journal 
... It is shed season, the time when whitetail bucks shed, or drop, their antlers... The animals lose their antlers following the breeding season when a drop in testosterone weakens the tissue and bone at the pedicle, or antler base... antlers ... are bone; grown, shed and re-grown annually. Horns ... are part bone but are covered by an exterior sheath of specialized hair follicles ...

Wildlife Insights Special: Wildlife animal fairy tale! The short story: A red deer calf alone in the forest looking for its mother. All pictures were taken from the wild in the Swiss Alps. - February, 2015



Albino deer steals hearts in Northwoods community February 6, 2015 Wisconsin, WFXS FOX55
...  an albino fawn with her mother... Three weeks later, the young deer's mother was run over by a car.  A small herd of does adopted the fawn and the neighborhood soon started calling the white deer "Little Orphan Annie." ...

The Story Behind Those Antlers In The Snow February 6, 2015 New Hampshire, New Hampshire Public Radio
... After breeding ends in December, deer antlers loosen at the base. Once-formidable weapons of territorial defense drop with testosterone levels in January. The shed antlers cast by bucks and bull moose each winter are often promptly buried by snow...

McConaughey in crosshairs over 'canned' hunts on kin's ranch February 4, 2015 Texas, New York Daily News
... McConaughey landed in animal lovers' crosshairs after an animal rights website called Their Turn accused the LP ranch for offering "canned" whitetail deer hunts, in which hunters open fire while animals nosh from feeders in fenced-in areas...

Argument over wounded deer leads to roadside shooting February 1, 2015 Maryland, Delmarva Now
...  he allegedly collided with the deer, then twice shot the man who police described as a good Samaritan that stopped at the scene of the collision... The deer lay wounded with two broken hind legs, but died at the scene...



4 men, 4 dead deer found in 1 MINI Cooper January 31, 2015 Florida, abc13.com
... The men said they partied all night, then went on an illegal, out-of-season 3 am joy ride and deer hunt. Then, they all passed out... [video below]

A sad story January 30, 2015 New Jersey, NJ.com
...  disappointed ... about the state taking away three deer that were being cared for by Brenda Oakes on her Kingwood Township property. She should be considered a person who cares for animals, not someone who abuses them. Police officers, animal control officers and others brought fawns and other animals to her, so they certainly knew she was doing this...



The buck stops here January 30, 2015 Tennessee, Crossville Chronicle
... Deer (Anakawi) Clan members in the Cherokee Tribe ... were the keepers of the deer and were taught the deer medicines and rituals. ...  Before killing a deer, a hunter of the Deer Clan was taught to pray with apologetic thankfulness for the deer giving its life for theirs. These prayers were to Awi Usdi, “Little Deer,” who was the deer spirit protector...

Mule deer are far less populous and are much less widespread than whitetail deer. Mule deer get their name from their large ears which somewhat resemble the large ears of a mule. The mule deer's range covers much of the western half of North America, from the Yukon down into Mexico, east from the crest of the Cascades and Sierras, over the Rockies into the prairie.On average, mule deer are larger in body and more robustly built than the whitetail. A mule deer's tail is much smaller than that of a whitetail, white all over with a black tip. Unlike a whitetail, a mule deer's tail is short, narrow, and cylindrical in shape. Mule deer, especially large bucks, are much less tolerant of human activity than whitetails. Currently, mule deer populations across the west are in decline ... - January 25, 2015


...  the deer has been seen in several of their neighbor’s yards, and has had lots of interaction with folks in the area. According to McKown the deer has posed for a selfie, gives “kisses” and lets kids and adults pet her and has even played kick ball with one of our neighbor boys...

Whitetails built to weather the cold season January 21, 2015 Pennsylvania, York Daily Record/Sunday News
... Before the weather turns cold, whitetails begin to store fat under their hide and around internal organs, which will provide energy when temperatures drop and snow falls. The fat reserves will compensate for the lack of energy supplied by a winter diet that is lower in protein...

Equally majestic, horns and antlers are not the same January 18, 2015 Massachusetts, South Coast Today
... While antlers are shed each year, horns stay with an animal for its entire life, with a few exceptions, including the pronghorn antelope... Antlers are made of bone, while horns are made of compressed hair (keratin, like fingernails), around a bony core... Animals in the deer family, such as whitetail and mule deer, elk, moose and caribou, have antlers...

... The couple manage to keep him around long enough for the rescue operation to eventually succeed...

Wildlife antics and oddities noted by Central Pennsylvania readers January 13, 2015 Pennsylvania, Penn Live 
... We get a couple of pictures of him every year ... named him 'High Rack.' ... estimated the buck's most recent spike at nearly 20 inches.  The deer has an injured rear leg, which causes the asymmetrical antler growth...

...  according to Rick Hargrave, a spokesman with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, "It's not unusual for elk or deer to swim in rivers." [photo by JoAnna Dotson] ...

... These are not albino deer... oldiers spotted a pair of white fawns roaming the woods. The depot commander was so taken with him that he gave special orders to his men. No one was to shoot any white deer. With the fence keeping predators out, and humans concentrating their hunting efforts on regular deer, the white deer population flourished...

Oh, Deer: It’s an Antlered Doe January 12, 2015 Kansas, Wall Street Journal
... Biologically female, it is typically able to conceive, bear and nurse fawns. But this doe typically manufactures above-average levels of testosterone, giving it a masculinity expressed through the sprouting of antlers ... acclaim followed the killings this season of three other antlered females ... [in Montana, Maine, and Arkansas]

Why do elk move from fall to winter ground? January 8, 2015 Montana, Great Falls Tribune
... They are big animals with lots of body mass that produces lots of heat... thick fur coat can take a lot of winter...  it takes deep or crusted snow, or some combination, and a prolonged period of temperatures below freezing to force elk to migrate...

Deer caught on St. John River ice floe January 5, 2015 Maine,  outthere.bangordailynews.com 
... I could see the water pushing up over the ice and the ice started breaking up and flowing downstream, these deer being taken for a ride on a frozen raft of ice...  one of the deer did safely make it to shore ...

... individuals that favor animal rights and who were essentially rooting for the deer, and avid hunters who thought it was inhumane to think that the hunter “deserved” what happened to him...