Commission studies controversial deer-baiting law February 3, 2026 Tennessee, Main Street Media of Tennessee

... The Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission is wrangling with a new law that allows hunters to bait deer – a practice it has adamantly opposed throughout its 75-year history... it considers it unethical ... skeptics doubt that baiting licenses will generate much revenue, and enforcement will be virtually impossible on private land where game wardens can’t go without the landowner’s permission...

California approves controversial plan to wipe out deer herd on Catalina Island February 3, 2026 California, Yahoo on MSN

... The proposal drew strong opposition from Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn — whose district includes the 22-mile-long island — just days before its approval by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.  “Mule deer have been part of Catalina’s landscape for nearly a century, and their presence has become an important part of the island’s identity,” Hahn said in a letter to CDFW. “This plan disregards the deeply held values of many Catalina residents and visitors...

Video Below:  A plan to restore Catalina Island’s ecosystem by killing roughly 2,000 nonnative deer has been approved by state wildlife officials.  February 2, 2026 California

Ohio’s Final 2025-26 Deer Hunting Season Report February 02, 2026 DNR News

     Ohio hunters checked 232,142 white-tailed deer during the 2025-26 season that concluded on Sunday, Feb. 1 ... Does: 111,921 (48%).  Antlered bucks: 95,998 (42%).  Button bucks: 21,257 (9%).  Bucks with shed antlers or antlers shorter than 3 inches: 2,966 (1%) ..,

Experimental evidence for large carnivore risk cues reducing deer browsing intensity in a temperate forest 2026 Journal of Applied Ecology

... We used video camera collars to assess microhabitat selectivity by woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus in boreal forests of Ontario, Canada ... While habitat selection at landscape scales is important to avoid predation, the videos enabled an understanding of within stand selection among closely-related forest types, indicating habitat selection occurred at a finer spatial scale for different reasons ...

Catalina Island Conservancy Seeks to Eradicate 2,000 Mule Deer January 31, 2026 California, Sportsmen's Alliance

... Any day, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) could approve or deny a restoration management permit (RMP) application submitted by the Catalina Island Conservancy (Conservancy) to eliminate 1,800 to 2,000 mule deer that reside on the island... use the Take Action Button to email the Director of CDFW and the Governor urge them to deny the Conservancy’s permit to eliminate the Catalina Island mule deer population...

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is helping restore thousands of acres impacted by 2025 wildfires January 31, 2026 The Fence Post

... Beginning in spring 2025, persistent drought conditions contributed to an intense wildfire season, with more than 265,000 acres burned statewide ... including important mule deer and elk winter range...700 acres of mule deer and elk winter range treated using soil scarification with an Ely chain and aerial seeding...

Rescuers calls for better protection of deer January 31, 2026 United Kingdom, BBC on MSN.com

... A Shropshire wildlife rescue is calling for deer to be better protected and has urged landowners to properly maintain their fences...  in 2025 ... 24 had been caught in fences or other foreign objects... "Many deer that have been caught in fences have tried to jump over and got their legs stuck between the layers of barbed wire," ...

Legislation to put point restrictions on deer hunting in W.Va. moves forward January 30, 2026W West Virginia, MetroNews

... House Bill 4504 would require a second buck taken by a hunter in West Virginia to have at least three scoreable points on one side before it would be legal... Currently West Virginia’s only restriction on antlers is they must be at least three inches above the hairline ...

Outgoing DNR deer biologist tells all January 30, 2026 Wisconsin, NEW Media Inc.

...  Outgoing Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources deer biologist Jeff Pritzl ... said about two antlerless deer need to be killed annually for every buck harvested to see no growth in the deer herd. Based on the 2025 season, with 165,614 bucks and 173,071 antlerless deer killed (338,685 total), hunters would need to harvest an additional 158,000 does and button bucks..,

Wolves and other predators present 'a crisis,' California's environment chief says January 29, 2026 Phys.org

... a bloody spring and summer during which a single wolf pack killed 92 calves in Sierra Valley ... The hearing took place on the same day that a mountain lion was captured and tranquilized in an urban part of San Francisco and just weeks after a wolf killed an aging horse who was a family pet in Lassen County...

Mule deer conservation costs a lot of bucks January 29, 2026 Powell Tribune

... The population of mule deer in Wyoming has experienced a significant, long-term decline, dropping from a peak of around 578,000 in 1991 to an estimated 216,000 by 2023. The decline is driven by habitat loss, drought, disease, and, recently, severe winter mortality, according to the department. That said, Bruce did say population decreases caused by the 2022-23 winter storm, which killed a significant portion of deer, were bouncing back according to this year’s harvest data...

The Best Timing and Frequency of Prescribed Fire for Deer Habitat January 29, 2026 National Deer Association

     Prescribed fire is the most effective and efficient tool to manage and improve deer habitat in most areas. Fire can be used to improve food and cover in ways that other practices cannot, and fire is relatively inexpensive to apply at a large scale...  we use fire to shift plant composition toward more forbs and fewer grasses, woody plants, and vines to improve nutrition...

Wildlife crossings can help bring mule deer back — and keep Utahns safer January 29 2026 Utah,  The Salt Lake Tribune

... According to a Utah Division of Wildlife Resources study, the combination of seasonal malnutrition and deer-vehicle collisions makes up at least 2 in 10 mule deer deaths, which, compared to hunting harvests, make up 1 in 100 deaths. Wildlife crossings reduce these collisions dramatically, while also reconnecting the high-quality habitats that roads have carved apart...

Baltimore City Explores Deer Management Options to Protect Urban Forests January 29, 2026 Maryland.gov 

... Maryland’s statewide deer population has grown from an estimated 140,000 deer in the late 1980s to a fairly stable population of about 240,000 deer during the past 20 years. At the same time, overall deer harvests in the state have declined from a high of around 95,000 deer harvested in 2010 to about 75,000 in recent years, according to DNR data..,

Deer hunt numbers close to last year, as deer populations drop across Iowa January 29, 2026 Iowa, Radio Iowa

... DNR state deer biologist Jace Elliott says ... “It’s safe to say that in most of the state, we’re seeing population declines. Certainly the western third of the state, as well as much of southern Iowa and central Iowa for that matter.”

Elliott says disease is likely the biggest issue with deer populations. “Population declines are likely a combination of multiple factors, but one thing that we can’t rule out is the EHD outbreaks that were reported in 2023 and 2024,” he says. “Those certainly played a big role in some of the population impacts that we’re still dealing with today.” ..,

Deer registrations up 14 percent in the northeast January 29, 2026 Minnesota, The Timberjay

... Northeastern Minnesota, where deer populations have been slow to recover from a series of snowy winters in the early 2020s, saw the biggest increase in the deer harvest, with registrations up 14 percent. The region’s deer population has been rebounding in the wake of two historically mild winters in 2023-24 and 2024-25.  Other parts of the state saw increased deer registrations as well ..,

Just the smell of Lynx can reduce deer browsing damage in recovering forests January 28, 2026 Phys.org on MSN.com

     New research shows that the mere smell of predators is enough to change deer behavior and limit browsing damage to tree saplings. The findings, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, offer a potential tool for forest recovery and highlight the important role large predators play...

The Newsom Administration's Role in Catalina's Deer Eradication January 29, 2026  California Globe

... Through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), a state agency under Newsom’s oversight and control, this plan awaits a Restoration Management Permit that could authorize the mass killing of up to 2,000 deer. Despite widespread opposition from lawmakers, hunters, animal advocates, and island residents, Newsom’s failure to intervene and his support of the Catalina Island Conservancy’s (“CIC”) plans signals a troubling prioritization of unproven environmental claims over rigorous science and public access to nature...

Oh, Deer: Catalina’s plan to slaughter local herd sparks controversy January 28, 2026 California, New York Post on MSN

... The group that manages Catalina Island’s wildlife has submitted a plan to kill some 2000 of the area’s iconic mule deer ... A petition opposing the plan has drawn over 22,000 signatures and widespread public attention, with the group arguing that “deer are part of the island’s cultural and scenic heritage” and that the “science doesn’t justify this slaughter.” ... [video below'

Video Below:  Killing Catalina | The Fight Over Deer, Science, and an Island’s Future.  January 27, 2026

     Killing Catalina is an on-the-ground investigation into the future of mule deer management on Catalina Island — and how wildlife policy decisions are being made when science, public trust, and transparency collide.

     For more than a century, mule deer have lived on Catalina Island. In recent years, the Catalina Island Conservancy proposed eradicating the entire population, first through aerial sharpshooting and later through ground-based methods. Those plans sparked widespread public opposition, raised serious scientific questions, and forced a deeper look at how this issue reached the point of “zero deer” as the stated goal.

     This film follows that story as it unfolded in real time...

Chronic wasting disease reaches endemic threshold in part of southeastern Minnesota January 28, 2026 West Central Tribune

... Testing during the 2025 season shows prevalence of the disease reaching more than 5% in three southeast deer permit areas ... Minnesota received 121 positive results from nearly 14,000 samples analyzed from across the state during the 2025 deer seasons, a 26% increase in positives from the previous year ...

Michigan's elk population needs to be whittled down, DNR says January 28, 2026 MLive.com

... Population estimates from 2024 put the herd at 1,150 animals. Meanwhile, the ideal number is 500 to 900 animals, said Brent Rudolph, the deer, elk and moose management specialist for the DNR... The herd is centered in the Pigeon River Country State Forest  ...

Brooklyn begins white-tailed deer culling program January 28, 2026 Ohio, cleveland.com

... Sharpshooters last week culled 41 white-tailed deer on city-owned property in Brooklyn ... The ODNR reports about 10 to 12 deer per square mile as normal with the Brooklyn study revealing between 35 and 45 deer per square mile... [see recommended deer densities]

Two big changes on tap for 2026-27 deer season January 28, 2026Tennessee, Kingsport Times News

...  new license, which was enacted by the Tennessee General Assembly, will allow baiting on private and leased land... will cost $50 for Tennessee residents and $100 for non-residents.   Corn and grain used as bait must be scattered and is not allowed to be placed in piles. Additionally, baiting will not be allowed in counties where chronic wasting disease is present...

Iowa Deer Harvest Declines Slightly During 2024–2025 Season January 28, 2026 OutdoorHub

... hunters reported harvesting 101,282 deer during the season, a 3% decrease from the year before. When estimates for reporting noncompliance and wounding loss are included, total hunting mortality is believed to be closer to 153,239 deer. Deer license sales also reflected a slight downturn, finishing the season down 4% compared to 2023–2024.  Antlerless deer, which include adult does and fawns, accounted for 56% of the total harvest ...

Cataliina, Hahn Urges State to Protect Communities by Rejecting Deer Plan January 27, 2026 Random Lengths News

... Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn sent a letter Jan. 26 to Valerie Termini, the new Interim Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife or CDFW, urging the Department to reject a permit application by the Catalina Island Conservancy that would authorize the eradication of the island’s mule deer population...

Wisconsin Sharpshooter Is Fined $10,000 After Deer Culling Violations January 27, 2026  Outdoor Life

...  a sharpshooter with Wildlife Management Service. This company has contracted with the local government for the removal of nuisance deer in Southeastern Wisconsin for decades. However a long list of violations from several years ago has put that operation into question...

Michigan: DNR Announces $200,000 Available for UP Deer Habitat Improvement Partnership Grants January 27, 2026 Outdoor Wire

... "Because of the past success of past partner projects, our budget doubled this year, enabling us to increase our influence to enhance deer habitat across the Upper Peninsula," said Bill Scullon, DNR Wildlife Division field operations manager and administrator for the grant initiative...

Deer as sentinels of emerging environmental pollution: Assessing contamination patterns and seasonal variations 2026 Science of The Total Environment

... Red deer in German National Parks are polluted with a vast number of chemicals... First time reporting of plasticizer and PCP contamination in red and fallow deer ...

Bay Village deer culling program ends for the season after few deer found January 26, 2026 Ohio, cleveland.com

... “We got a whopping total of four deer this year,” Police Chief Robert Gillespie told City Council ... Sharpshooters reported finding few deer in the city this winter ...

Fewer deer sightings this season don't mean fewer deer, MDWFP says January 26, 2026 Mississippi, Darkhorse Press

... Mississippi hunters who have seen fewer deer this season shouldn’t assume the state’s deer population is declining ... Biologists say warmer-than-normal temperatures combined with an abundant acorn crop have reduced daytime deer movement, making animals harder to spot even though overall numbers remain stable...

Statewide sampling shows chronic wasting disease detections up from previous years January 25, 2026 Montana, Daily Inter Lake

... Just over 5% of the samples submitted for testing between July 2025 and January 2026 tested positive for chronic wasting disease — a notable increase from 3.75% of samples during the 2024-25 season ...upwards of 400 cases of chronic wasting disease during the 2025-26 hunting season ...

Hearing held on Republican bill to set wolf population number January 23, 2026 Wisconsin, Civic Media

...The bill, ... is unlikely to be signed into law by Gov. Tony Evers ...Rep. Green, the bill’s co-author, said that the growth of the wolf population in northern Wisconsin is causing a number of problems, including in the area’s deer population...

Kentucky’s 2025-26 deer harvest was fifth highest on record January 23, 2026 Kentucky DNR

... The 145,433 total is less than last season's 149,868 deer, which was the second only to the 155,730 taken in 2015. But this season's total is well above the 10-year average of 142,412 ... Only 43.5 percent of deer harvested were female...

Missouri deer harvest sees 10% increase, nearing 302,000 this season January 22, 2026 KRCG

... This year's more typical acorn crop helped increase harvest totals ... Weather conditions also influenced the season, with warm opening-weekend temperatures leading to more nighttime deer movement ... Despite concerns about declining participation, the Missouri Department of Conservation reports that hunter numbers have stabilized ..,

Looking at non-resident and resident deer hunter numbers in Montana January 22, 1016 KTVH

... Over the past two decades, there has been a steady increase in non-resident hunters, with the average of the last five years being around 20,000 more non-resident hunters compared to 20 years ago... resident hunting numbers have been decreasing in the past twenty years. With an average of around 172,000 resident hunters for the past five years, a 20,000 decrease compared to the average from twenty years ago...

Essex, Protests Against Essex County Deer Cull Planned At 2 Local Reservations January 22, 2026 New Jersey, NJ Patch

... Essex County will hold its 17th deer management cull at South Mountain Reservation and Hilltop Reservation  ... Spokespeople with the Animal Protection League of New Jersey said they plan to hold protests against this year’s cull  ...

Colorado wildlife officials say no wolf releases planned this winter after federal interference January 21, 2026 Colorado Newsline

... The halt to wolf reintroductions after the release of just 25 individual animals — nearly half of which have already died — represents the biggest victory to date for livestock groups that have waged a five-year battle to subvert Colorado voters’ narrow approval in 2020 of Proposition 114, which mandated gray wolf reintroduction in the name of restoring ecological balance...

$2K reward offered to help catch person who poached deer in New Hampshire January 21, 2026 Boston 25 News

... the buck found dead near the edge of a field ... A local resident recently pledged $1,000 to the person who can provide information ... New Hampshire Operation Game Thief officials said they will match this offer ...

Annual count helps assess residential deer populations January 21, 2026 Colorado, The Gazette

... “The most efficient way to do our counts is by helicopter,” CPW wildlife biologist Ty Woodward said. “Drone battery life is still too limited for the areas we cover, so we rely heavily on low-altitude flights.”  This method is incompatible with observing residential deer populations ... Two years ago, the regional CPW office launched a ... program in which officers and volunteers drove through residential areas to count neighborhood deer and include them in herd analyses...

Choppers Collide During Wyoming Mule Deer Capture Operation January 21, 2026 Wyoming, Cowboy State Daily

... There were no injuries reported in the collision ... The choppers and crews were contracted to capture and collar mule deer for research in the north Bighorn mountains ... Game and Fish frequently hires private aviation companies for wildlife capture operations ...

F&G Commission hears plan to reduce agriculture damage from elk herd on private land in Unit 32 January 20, 2026 Idaho Fish and Game

... Idaho Fish and Game is proposing a combination of translocation and lethal removal of about 100 nonmigratory elk on private land west of Emmett during spring and summer of 2026. The goal is to reduce damages on agricultural land, which last year exceeded $1 million in this area. 

     Fish and Game will target elk that are living year-round on private land owned by five owners. The year-round herd has grown to 350 animals over the last five years despite efforts by hunters, landowners and Fish and Game staff to reduce elk numbers and associated crop damages... 

Researchers make concerning discovery after following wild animals' journey in US region January 20, 2026 Utah, The Cool Down

... When the land dries out, mule deer don't just tough it out — they move. A study published in Ecological Applications found that drought conditions pushed mule deer out of native shrublands and into agricultural and residential areas ...

Michigan hunters took 153 elk during 2025 season January 20, 2026 ABC12

... The DNR received 47,000 applications from elk hunters and issued 260 elk hunting licenses last year... Michigan's elk herd is estimated around 1,150 animals ...

VT Fish & Wildlife releases preliminary deer season numbers January 20, 2026 Vermont, WFFF Burlington on MSN

... Over 17,000 deer were reportedly taken during Vermont’s 2025 deer hunting seasons ... “remarkably average in 2025.” ...  The amount of bucks taken was also slightly up from 2024 ...

Arlington activist opposes the county's plan to use sharpshooters to reduce deer population January 19, 2026 Virginia, WUSA9 on MSN

... In 2021, researchers found 290 deer countywide.  In March 2025, a new study by Arlington County found fewer deer but still three to six times more than recommended levels. They claim deer overpopulation is harmful to local forests.  Arlington County leaders say they carefully considered deer sterilization, but say there’s no evidence it would adequately reduce the deer population... [Video below}

Why Captive Animal 'World Records' Are Banned From Official Hunting Records January 19, 2026 Wyoming, Cowboy State Daily

... Big game animals raised in captivity, crammed full of artificial antler-growth supplements and then gunned down in fenced-in enclosures can’t be entered into the official hunting trophy record books, the Boone and Crockett Club reminded hunters... open only to animals that were hunted and taken according to the organization’s fair chase standards ...

Idaho County rancher sentenced for illegal deer poaching and bait site operations January 19, 2026 Idaho, KBOI on MSN

... The officer walked to Van Loon's property boundary and found a hunting blind. The site was identified as an active bait site targeting deer and elk, which is illegal for big game animals in Idaho.  A search warrant was issued and served at Loon's residence. Officers found multiple items used for baiting...

Video Below:  Idaho Fish and Game is proposing new limits on advanced hunting technology, including drones and thermal imaging. - January 18, 2026

Deer in the News

Video Below:  A deer with a plastic bucket stuck on its head has prompted at least a dozen calls to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Rock County.  January 2, 2026, WMTV

Hunters Perform CPR on Deer and Save Its Life January 29, 2026 Texas, Newstalk KGVO

... him and his hunting partner stumble upon a partially alive buck stuck in a fence, choking, its neck wound tight in wire... Aldofo begins performing chest compressions ... [Video Below]

Video Below:   How white-tailed deer survive in extremely cold temperatures. January 29, 2026

Lapeer County rescue saves fawns, educates locals on wildlife January 29, 2026 Michigan, ABC12

... Short’s Fawn Rescue in Lapeer County is a charity dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating sick, injured and orphaned fawns, returning them to the wild... Anyone interested in supporting the rescue can donate on their website or join their annual Run Wild for the Fawns Virtual 5K starting February 23rd...

Video Below:  Dramatic video​ shows a deer smashing through a bank window and running wild as officers try to wrangle it.  January 22, 2026

Video Below:  Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer helps provide essential nourishment to the local deer population in Brownville, Maine.  The organization feeds approximately 700 pounds of oats daily to 150-200 deer.  - January 12, 2026

3 New York Hunters Illegally Kill Trophy Deer, Leave It To Die January 12 ,2026 Q105.7

... men drove through fields in the town of Richford, spotlighting for deer ... shot an 11-point buck from their vehicle ... the landowner found the deer still alive but not moving...

Read More: 3 Upstate New York Hunters Caught Poaching Trophy Deer | https://q1057.com/deer-hunting-violations-new-york/#google_vignette?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral

Read More: 3 Upstate New York Hunters Caught Poaching Trophy Deer | https://q1057.com/deer-hunting-violations-new-york/#google_vignette?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral ...

Seeds, Survival, and Predators: Inside the Relentless Cycle of New Hampshire's Deer January 10, 2025 A-Z Animals

... To the Abenaki people, who are still honored throughout New England today, the white-tailed deer is symbolic of life and community. The Abenaki use deer hunting as a test and coming-of-age ritual, often using every part of the animal so none goes to waste. Deer are also called “animal people,” emphasizing the connection between humans and animals. When a deer is hunted, many bury the animal’s heart where it was slain...

Brave young man rescues baby deer from icy Irondequoit Bay January 10, 2026 New York, WROC

... a baby deer in frozen Irondequoit Bay. In the video, you can see Shutter swim a few hundred feet to get to the deer, but it takes a few tries to get the animal out...

Video Below:  A 13kg deer decided to take on a 1.7-tonne rhinoceros in a curious confrontation at Wroclaw Zoo in Poland on Friday (9 January).  The Chinese Muntjac, a small deer species native to Asia, fearlessly engaged with its huge opponent... - January 9, 2026

Video Below:  Training Santa's reindeers in Washington state. - Decembere 30, 2025

Video Below:  Helped a Deer Stuck in a Fence. - December 30, 2025

The Biggest Deer Story Of The Year December 27,, 2025 Nebraska, The Post-Journal

... an antler collector paying $1 million for the biggest set of typical antlers a deer ever grew ... a deer no hunter ever shot... way back in 1959 a Nebraska rancher found this pair of shed antlers that were second to none, and still are...

Maine deer eat from trough on live stream, have become internet darlings December 23, 2025 The Washington Post on MSN.com

... Every winter day in a Maine backyard, dozens of deer eat oats, apples and acorns from wooden troughs. Unbeknownst to the deer, four cameras live-stream their every move to thousands of people...

Escaped reindeer cause havoc as they desperately search for Santa's sleigh December 17, 2025 California, Daily Star on MSN

... The animals, lovingly named, Cookie and Noel, had gone loose close to an incredibly busy intersection with the 118 Freeway in the San Fernando area. Stunned drivers looked on as the deer ran across different lanes, tiring themselves out as several cars raced by... The deer had managed to escape its own enclosure at Santa's Enchanted Forest, held each year in Formby ...

Texas Hunter Shoots Buck's Antler Off To Free It From Deadlocked Deer December 16, 2025 Cowboy State Daily

... found the helpless bucks on Dec. 7 in the Texas Panhandle country, there wasn’t enough time to hike all the way back home to retrieve a hacksaw.  So he turned to plan B, blasting off one of the dead buck’s antlers with the Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol ... friend caught video ...

Upstate NY firefighters rescue deer stuck on ice in the Finger Lakes (video below) December 15, 2025 New York, newyorkupstate

...  members of the Ithaca Fire Department assisted the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in rescuing a deer that had become stuck on the ice along the Cayuga Inlet...