Vermont Deer News
Final two deer meetings to be held May 20, 2013 Vermont, WCAX ... The next hearing is Tuesday in Lyndonville. And the final hearing will be June 5 in Manchester. [Comment from reader]: I'm not 100% sure but this meeting might actually be about the final two deer in Vermont. A very good year for the outdoors, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Gets More Funding May 19, 2013 Vermont, BurlingtonFreePress.com ... a $4.3 million general fund appropriation to the cash-strapped Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, which is almost double last year’s allocation ... Among its many provisions, H. 101 will ... Repeal the reimbursement for deer and bear damage to crops, livestock and bee hives, so that Fish and Wildlife will only have to pay claimants who derive at least 50 percent of their income from farming... Vermont Deer Hearings Set for May 21 & June 5 April 29, 2013 Outdoor Hub The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will host the final two of five annual deer management public hearings on Tuesday, May 21 in Lyndonville and Wednesday, June 5 in Manchester. Three earlier hearings were held in Springfield, Montpelier and St Albans. ... Local waters, and fishing, heating up, deer population April 27, 2013 Vermont, BurlingtonFreePress.com ... the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Board tentatively approved ... a 15 percent increase in permits. After two consecutive winters that were among the mildest on record, wildlife biologists expect the deer herd will number about 130,000 going into the fall, which is a 4 percent increase from last year ...The statewide winter severity index – a measure of days when the temperature drops below zero and snow depths exceed 18 inches – was 19.8 this year. While that’s up from 2012’s record low of about 11, it’s still well below the long-term average of 49.3 ... ... On Thursday, April 11, at 8 p.m. on Vermont Public Television, Lawrence Pyne will host “Deer Herd Management: An Outdoor Journal Special.” The live program, airing on VPT and webcast on vpt.org, is an opportunity for the public to ask questions ... [see video below] Hunters set sights on Vt. deer issues March 29, 2013 Vermont, St. Albans Messenger ... concerns raised at the meeting last night primarily surrounded too many coyote in the woods, and what’s become known as the controversial “spikehorn rule,” which the state implemented in hopes of increasing its pool of larger bucks. There also was discussion of chronic wasting disease, which, it appears, is spreading from state to state... Vermont deer season yields 13% increase in 2012, credits mild winter March 26, 2013, NRABlog.com ... Hunters harvested a total of 13,757 deer in 2012, up more than 13 percent from the year before. The department estimated there would be an increase in number of deer in 2012 due to a mild winter and a reduction in the number of muzzleloader season antlerless deer permits issued in 2011. In response, the number of antlerless permits was increased by 30 percent in 2012... Vt Fish and Wildlife moves Montpelier deer hearing March 20, 2013 Vermont, NECN ... The March 27 ...The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife is moving a deer management hearing from Montpelier High School to the Statehouse ... Vt. teacher disciplined, allowed deer shooting March 20, 2013 Vermont, Boston.com ... Students at the technical center had left to study at a building job site. While there, they spotted a deer. Wunsch gave a 17-year-old student permission to go home, get his gun, and shoot it. The teacher and students then posed for a photo ... Deer Hearings Set for Late March March 12, 2013 Vermont, vtdigger.org The Fish & Wildlife Department will host the first three of five annual deer management public hearings beginning on March 25 ... attend one of the following public hearings, held from 7:00-9:00 p.m. March 25 Springfield – Riverside Junior High School Cafeteria, 13 Fairground Road, Springfield March 27 Montpelier – Montpelier High School Cafeteria, 5 High School Drive, Montpelier March 28 St Albans – St. Albans Town Educational Center Cafeteria, 169 South Main Street, St. Albans, VT ... Hunters to review deer regulations, antler restrictions March 4, 2013 Vermont, Bennington Banner Groups of hunters are being formed to review eight-year old antler restrictions and to make recommendations on other deer-related regulations -- at least ones that do not involve the number of deer in Vermont... More than 40 applications have been received so far ... In 2005 the Fish and Wildlife Board passed a regulation saying that a legal buck is defined as a deer with at least one antler having at least two points with one point being an inch long or more... Wanted: Deer survey volunteers February 23, 2013 Vermont, BurlingtonFreePress.com Each group will consist of six to eight volunteers, who will meet at least four times and make recommendations on how to improve Vermont's deer management strategies and hunting rules and regulations... They consist of the Lake Plains and Western Foothills ... the Green Mountains and Northeast Kingdom ... and the East Central and Eastern Foothills... You don’t have to live in the region covered by the group you would like to join t... to obtain an application form visit Fish and Wildlife’s Web site at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department Seeks Deer Hunters for Regional Working Groups February 22, 2013 OutdoorHub.com ... three regional working groups currently being formed ... “Hunters frequently express to us an interest in becoming more directly involved in deer management decisions,” said Adam Murkowski, Fish & Wildlife’s deer project leader... comprehensive deer management review process and the regional working groups should visit the department’s website www.vtfishandwildlife.com. Vermont's Comprehensive Deer Management Review Plan February 6, 2013 Vermont Fish and Wildlife Vermont manages our deer population, despite changes in weather, habitat and hunting patterns, to keep a consistently healthy and age-diverse herd across the state. Our deer management program is guided by management goals and population objectives outlined in Vermont’s 2010-2020 Big Game Management Plan. While the plan establishes deer population objectives, it also allows for evaluating the department’s practices. We want to include Vermont citizens in this process as a way of being responsive to our stakeholders. [go to the link above to see the many ways Vermont will encourage public input] Vt. wardens say trophy buck taken out of season January 29, 2013 Vermont, NECN Vermont game wardens say the biggest buck shot in the state in more than 20 years was shot a day after the close of the November rifle hunting season ... Public Events Announced for New Comprehensive Deer Management Plan January 16, 2013 Vermont, Vermont Fish and Wildlife ... Hunters interested in Vermont's deer herd should plan on attending one of three public events scheduled for January 19th, 30th and 31st ... An introductory seminar on whitetailed deer will be held at the Yankee Classic sportsman show at noon on Saturday, January 19 ... Two public input meetings will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Kehoe Conservation Camp, 636 Point of Pines Road in Castleton on January 30, and at Spaulding High School Cafeteria, 155 Ayers Street in Barre on January 31... an experimental antler point regulation (APR) was established in 2005 defining a legal antlered deer as a deer with two or more points on one side greater than one inch in length. The objective was to move more 1 ½ year old antlered deer into the 2 ½ year old age class and slightly increasing the total number of bucks. Vermont Fish & Wildlife reports hunters harvested 13,850 white-tailed deer in 2012 January 14, 2013, vtdigger.org Hunters harvested 13,850 white-tailed deer during Vermont's archery, youth, rifle, and muzzleloader deer hunting seasons in 2012, which is commensurate with the previous three-year average of 13,977 deer. Following last year's mild winter ... “While the number of antlerless permits rose slightly in 2012, they still allowed for slow growth of the herd in most regions” said Adam Murkowski, deer project leader ... New year brings new seasons, good results December 30, 2012 Vermont, Concord Monitor A total of 4,897 deer were taken during the November rifle season. The three-year average harvest is 4,867 ... Archers took 2,915 deer compared to a three year average of 2,484... “Hunters this year saw the benefits of managing for deer herd health,” said Adam Murkowski, Vermont deer biologist. “Preliminary analysis has shown that not only are more deer being harvested this year, but the physical condition of these deer is indicative of a healthy and robust population.” Initial reports: Deer harvest up December 13, 2012 Vermont, Bennington Banner ... during the regular rifle season 4,897 deer were harvested compared to 4,070 last year ... archers took 2,991 deer compared to 2,342 last year ... The size of the herd is largely being attributed to a mild winter, which allowed for high fawn survival rates and healthy adult deer, according to Fish and Wildlife Deer Biologist Adam Murkowski. Rifle season deer numbers up slightly December 7, 2012 Vermont, WCAX ... hunters harvested 4,087 deer during the November rifle season, with numbers still coming in ... Vt. hunting season snapshot December 2, 2012 Vermont, WCAX ... Wardens say illegal deer jacking incidents are up a bit this year ... they believe the kill count this year is higher than last ... Fewer deer, bigger bucks November 26, 2012 Vermont, Barre Montpelier Times Argus ... Jeff Mugford of Berlin said ... “This is the worst rifle season ever for me,” ... worries that youth hunting is “pounding” the deer herd too early in the calendar, and he advocates only a small number of doe tags be issued for rifle season... Anecdotal evidence ... points to a trend of fewer deer, but larger bucks. The Rut in Vermont November 16, 2012 Bennington Banner ... In spring and summer, male and female whitetails are largely segregated. Does tend to their fawns; bucks hang out by themselves or in bachelor groups. In September, the declining daylight prompts increased testosterone levels in bucks, causing them to act erratically and become less tolerant of one another. They make antler rubs on small trees and shrubs ... The does sort of pay attention to all this in that they'll casually check scrapes and rubs, but by and large their participation in breeding season is limited. Basically, it can be summed up as: No, no, no, no, no, yes... CDC, state to conduct study in Vermont on Eastern Equine Encephalitis November 16, 2012 vtdigger.org ... a study in Vermont that hasn’t been carried out in the U.S. for more than four decades. On Town Meeting Day, they hope to test hundreds of Vermonters in three towns for the incidence rate of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE... In 2010, state officials discovered the virus for the first time in Vermont by sampling the blood of deer and moose brought in by hunters.... Health officials plan human testing in EEE areas November 16, 2012 Vermont, Rutland Herald Tests conducted on hundreds of deer killed during hunting season in Vermont during the last two years found that as much as 10 percent of the deer herd in Vermont had developed antibodies for the virus — a sign that they had been infected by the virus ... Amount of posted land increasing in Vermont November 5, 2012 Bennington Banner ... going from between 100,000 acres to 150,000 acres from 1971 to 1996 to between 200,000 acres and 230,000 acres from 1997 to 2011... Unless a person takes measures to enclose or "post" their property, anyone who is properly licensed can go onto their property and hunt, fish, or trap there... Deer to be tested for EEE today and Sunday November 3, 2012 Vermont, Rutland Herald Volunteers with the Vermont Department of Health will be gathering blood samples from deer today and Sunday during youth deer hunting weekend to check for eastern equine encephalitis ... In 2010, deer and moose samples were collected from more than 500 animals during rifle season. Eleven percent of deer samples and 28 percent of moose samples tested positive. Web service aims to connect hunters and landowners October 9, 2012 Vermont, Bennington Banner ... Wildlife Biologist Scott Darling said both hunters and landowners can find each other through the department's website ... He said foresters have reported deer damage to young trees in Southern Vermont, particularly to the seedlings and saplings of red oak, white ash, and sugar maples... hunters have also raised concerns about the amount of posted land in Vermont... Vermont Deer Herd October 6, 2012 North Adams Transcript ... Adam Murkowski, deer biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Department, said the warm winter and early spring led to ideal fawning conditions for the state’s whitetail deer population. He said fawns do much of their growing during spring, and with better access to food and less stress from cold and snow ... there have been fewer deer killed on the roads this year ... deer don’t have to move around as much to find food, so they’re not crossing the roads and highways as often ... Forest study advances, deer habitat October 4, 2012 Vermont, Manchester Journal ... "One of the many things we try to incorporate is regeneration cuts, which is cutting trees and let them regenerate and grow back. Then by removing parts of the canopy the trees will regenerate faster," added John Sease, the District Wildlife Biologist. This will help the local deer population, and moose population, find areas to browse and bed, especially during the winter months ... aspen trees will be monitored and the enhancement of Evergreen trees will add cover for the deer ... apple tree management. Removal of over-topping trees immediately around the apples invigorates their growth and promotes fruit production... Deer Herd Status September 30, 2012 Vermont, Burlington Free Press ... Vermont deer biologist Adam Murkowski.... “We had very good overwinter survival of all (deer) age groups and a good fawn crop this spring. Those two things combined are the perfect recipe for population growth. And it’s important that hunters take antlerless deer. We need to stay on top of the herd before it gets too large ...” Fish and Wildlife estimates the deer population going into fall at 125,000 to 135,000 animals, a 10 to 20 percent increase from last year. After the mildest winter since the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department began keeping records .. Vermont Deer Biologist Optimistic for Hunting Seasons September 27, 2012 The Outdoor WireThe ... ... "The mild winter coupled with an early spring-green up have proved beneficial for Vermont's deer herd," said [ Vermont deer biologist Adam Murkowski] . "Increased over-winter survival coupled with optimal fawning conditions means population growth is expected in deer herds throughout the state this year." Controlling risk, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) September 18, 2012 Vermon, Barre Montpelier Times Argus ... a survey last year showed that 10 percent of deer and moose in Vermont showed signs of the presence of EEE, as the disease is known. ... Two cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the Brandon area have shone a spotlight on the decline in funding for the monitoring and spraying of mosquitoes in the region. ... campaign to conserve land at Bolton Valley ... undeveloped hills on the eastern edge of populous Chittenden County that provide wildlife habitat ... “The wildlife is amazing. I’ve seen moose, snowshoe hare, deer — including a way-too- close encounter with a moose ... Vermont Fish and Wildlife proposes increase in 'doe permits' April 30, 2012, BurlingtonFreePress.com ... proposing to increase the number of antlerless deerpermits issued this year by 30 percent... Biologists made the recommendation based largely on the mild winter. The statewide average Winter Severity Index ... was only 11, compared with 69 last year and a long-term average of about 53. Because there was little if any winter mortality, biologists estimate that going into the fall the statewide deer herd will number approximately 125,000 to 135,000 animals, a potential increase of 10 percent to 20 percent from 2011. Vt. to hold hearings on deer management April 27, 2012 Vermont, NECN The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will hold two public hearings in May on the management of white-tailed deer. One will be held Monday, May 14, at the St. Albans Town Educational Center. The other will take place on Tuesday, May, 15, in Springfield at the Riverside Junior High School cafeteria. Both hearings will run from 7-8:30 p.m.... Vt. officials to lay out environmental successes, challenges April 24, 2012 Vermont, The Republic ... Average annual precipitation has increased by 15 to 20 percent in the past 50 years ... The desire of people to have a home on wooded acreage has led to habitat fragmentation, meaning essentially that deer, bears and other wildlife are less free to roam... click here for full report In search of sheds April 3, 2012 Vermont, Bennington Banner In southern areas of Vermont and New Hampshire where deer don't, as a general rule, yard in winter, it's harder, but not impossible, to find sheds.... Unlike the "horns" that animals like cows and goats sport year-round, antlers grow from scratch and are discarded each year ... Finding shed antlers is an exercise in patience. It takes a lot of luck and hours of roaming the woodlands the bucks inhabit ... Vermont's 2011 Deer Season Report Available for Download March 21, 2012 Vermont.gov The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department announces that the “2011 Vermont White-Tailed Deer Harvest Report” is available on-line, at the department’s web page (www.vtwfishandwildlife.com). The report provides detailed, season-by-season analysis of Vermont’s 2011 archery, youth, rifle, and muzzleloader seasons. Combined, hunters took 12,132 deer last year, which was an expected decline from the year before. The report, which can be downloaded and printed, comes out a week before the department begins a series of public deer hearings where wildlife biologists will share information on 2011 hunting season results as well as data gathered at biological check stations on antler measurements, ages and weights of deer taken. Winter severity data will be reviewed, and the prospects for 2012 season will be discussed. | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Slightly more than 6,000 black bears in 2012. Other useful links: - Vermont Agency of Natural Resources - Deer Hunting Regulations and Information - A Report on the Health of Vermont's EnvironmentThe Vermont Agency of Natural Resources 2011 - Mission Statement: To protect and conserve our fish, wildlife, plants, and teir habitats for the people of Vermont. From Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department:" Vermonters care about wildlife. In fact, a new national survey found that our state ranks number two in terms of the percentage of a state's population participating in wildlife-based recreation. That is why, from its earliest foundation, the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department has provided a broad range of services and programs to protect and conserve the state's diverse fish and wildlife resources." Antler Point Restrictions: The antler restriction has worked. With the exception of the higher percentage of yearlings harvested in 2010 due to the previous mild winter, the age structure of the buck population has improved. It has worked because hunters have been counting antler points before they shoot. It was designed to increase age structure of the buck population, not increase overall deer numbers. We now have as many legal bucks in the state as we did before the antler restriction, but there are an additional 7,000–8,000 yearling and 2-year-old “spike-horns” out there that are pretty much guaranteed to survive the hunt. |
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