Maine Deer Population: The state estimated about 320,000 in 2022, 290,000 deer in 2021 and 300,000 deer in spring 2020. The population has been supported by mild winters. About 275,000 deer in 2019 and 240,000 deer in mid-2017 and 2018. About 225,000 in 2016 and 211,000 deer in 2015. The population has been supported by mild winters. Deer permits have increased since 2016-17. About 220,000 deer in 2014. Maine’s deer population reached an estimated all-time high of 331,000 in the late 1990s. Help Maine Track the Deer Population
Maine Deer News
Maine's Moose Hunting Permit Drawing is coming up on Saturday, June 10! June 5, 2023 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife News
... This year, 4,106 permits will be drawn in the random chance lottery from a pool of over 72,000 applicants. Maine’s moose hunt is designed to manage the moose population. By modifying the number and type of moose permits available to hunters, the department can manage the moose population to provide for hunting and viewing opportunities ..,
Deer wintering area among new Land for Maine’s Future projects June 2, 2023 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... The Lexington Deer Wintering Area, which includes 1,452 acres in Lexington Township, will be acquired by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to continue its efforts to restore white-tailed deer habitat in northern, western and eastern Maine...
Deer harvest data show promising results for Maine's new antlerless permit May 9, 2023 Maine, YAHOO!News
... State biologists on Tuesday recommended increasing deer permits this fall by 12% to 108,070. The increase of roughly 12,000 permits is based, in part, on steady growth in the deer population in central and southern Maine ... State biologists estimated Maine's herd in 2022 at 360,000 to 370,000 deer [this number is much higher than reports from other sources] — up from an estimated 280,000 to 300,000 in 2021...
Maine shrinks scope of ‘do not eat’ warning for PFAS-infected wildlife April 24, 2023 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... The state said only deer and turkey living in close proximity to the most highly contaminated farm fields have ingested the chemicals and have PFAS in their meat and organs... a “do not eat” advisory for deer and turkey harvested within a 25-square-mile area that encompasses parts of Fairfield and Skowhegan...
"Wolves Are Still With Us," April, 2023, Maine, Down East Magazine
... Although extirpated from Maine by the 1890s, wolf DNA survives in the state’s thriving coyote population... The smaller canines moved eastward and northward and established breeding populations in Maine by the 1930s... Maine’s coyote population, which state biologists estimate at between 10,000 and 12,000 animals ..,
Lawmaker takes aim at 'canned hunting' in Maine April 7, 2023 Maine, WGME
... the new bill, LD 1068... would prohibit the operation of all game ranches in Maine. Game ranches, also known as canned hunts, captive hunting operations, and shooting preserves ...
Coyotes: A drastic measure April 5, 2023 Maine, The Ellsworth American
... Coyote removals during April, May and June would also reduce the number of coyotes targeting deer fawns. If LD 814 passes, survival of adult and pup coyotes will increase, leading to higher coyote populations throughout Maine... Higher density of coyotes during early summer would result in lower survival of deer fawns, increased losses of adult deer during winter ...
All the hunting bills proposed by Maine lawmakers April 4, 2023 WGME
... The most common theme is a desire for free hunting permits or access to hunting...
Free antlerless permits for certain landowners, based on either the size of their parcel or their willingness to allow hunting, also are the impetus of two other bills...
Remembering Maine’s Failed 1980s Attempt to Reintroduce Caribou March 31, 2023 Down East Magazine
... market hunters slaughtered them in the 19th century. Twenty-three Newfoundland caribou released in Baxter State Park in 1963 dispersed and gradually died off. Then, in the late 1980s, a privately funded group called the Maine Caribou Project tried again, but disease, bears, and coyotes wiped out the radio-collared herd within a few years...
Why Are Tens of Thousands Tuning in to Watch Maine Deer Feeding on YouTube? 2023, Down East Magazine
... Brownville’s Food Pantry for Deer ...The retired contractor performs this labor of love about 100 days a year, from December 16 through early April, during the nearly six-month window when it’s legal to feed wild deer in Maine. This season, he expects to distribute 37 tons of oats and hundreds of bushels of apples...
$4,000 reward for information on illegally killed deer found in Aroostook County March 15, 2023 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... found dead in Ashland in February. ... Four of the seven deer had been shot, while the cause of death for the other three deer could not be determined by game wardens ...
Mainer describes seeing several bald eagles swarm deer trapped on icy lake February 21, 2023 Maine, News Center Maine
... he witnessed a swarm of 10-12 bald eagles attack and kill a deer trapped on a frozen pond ... both adult and immature eagles pulling at a struggling dear on the east side of the lake...
2022 was the worst year for moose hunting in Maine February 2, 2023 Bangor Daily News
... Maine has experienced an overall reduction in its moose population because of winter ticks ... the state’s most recent estimate of 75,000 moose was made in 2012...
Why do Maine deer hunters hate coyotes? January 31, 2023 Bangor Daily News
... Biologists believe there are between 10,000 and 12,000 coyotes in Maine, but admit that’s a rough estimate. And while the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife concedes that coyotes kill deer, it doesn’t consider coyotes a threat to game populations ...
Research lab to study 'forever chemicals' to open at UMaine January 10, 2023, Maine, NewsCenterMaine.com
... David Trahan, executive director of Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, said he has pushed for an in-state PFAS lab since November 2021, when a "do not eat" advisory for deer harvested in Fairfield and surrounding communities was issued after several animals tested positive for elevated levels of PFAS...
My Dog's Favorite Maine TV Show is On with Deer in Brownville December 29, 2022 Maine, Q106.5
... This time of year, we often turn on YouTube to watch the Brownville Food Pantry for Deer's live cameras. It's fun for us to see how the deer interact. But for Toby, it's mesmerizing...
3 Maine outdoors issues to watch in 2023 December 28, 2022 Bangor Daily News
... The effects of chemical contamination of Maine’s fish and wildlife, the impact of the revamped antlerless deer permit system and winter tick mortality among moose are three of the key areas outdoor enthusiasts should follow as we head into 2023...
2 dead deer dumped off I-95 in Aroostook County December 3, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... a reward of $3,000 for information ... The two carcasses were found near mile marker 260 on the southbound side of the interstate in Benedicta ...
Hunters set a record for deer taken during Maine's fall season November 28, 2022 Yahoo
... Maine has an estimated statewide deer herd of 320,000. But the densities of deer vary widely from as few as one or two deer per square mile in northern Maine to as many as 40 deer per square mile in parts of southern and central Maine...This fall's preliminary total of 41,875 deer harvests tops the previous mark of 41,735 in 1959, according to the state's online database..,
Got your deer yet? These historic Maine hunters did November 26, 2022 Bangor Daily News
... These days, only 15 to 17 percent of Maine hunters get their buck or doe ... The state established its inaugural hunting laws in 1830, a decade after becoming a state, setting the moose and deer hunting seasons as Sept. 1 through Dec. 31. No bag limits were set. This allowed some unscrupulous hunters to kill scores of deer, moose and caribou, shipping them out of state for profitable sale..,
Hunters say coyote population is dropping in Aroostook County November 7, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... due in part to the Aroostook County Conservation Association’s coyote control management program, which is in its 14th year... created to keep the animal’s population in check around wintering grounds, giving the depleted deer herds in northern Maine a chance to rebound...
'Everybody's contaminated:' Maine hunters worried about PFAS contamination in animals November 1, 2022 Maine, WGME
... "Everybody that's hunted, it's already in our systems,” Lefebvre said. “We've been eating bird, turkey, deer for years here. So everybody's contaminated. There's no question about it." He says his neighbors have high levels of PFAS in their bodies, and he's still waiting on his test results...
Maine's deer-harvest hot spot may surprise you October 27, 2022 Yahoo! Sports
... Maine has an estimated deer herd of 320,000, according to IFW. However, the densities range widely from one to two deer per square mile in northern Maine to as many as 40 deer per square mile in parts of central and southern Maine...
Don’t eat deer meat from the Fairfield area October 20, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... a “do not eat” advisory remains in effect because of “forever chemical” [PFAS] contamination. On Nov. 23, 2021, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued a warning to deer hunters not to eat the meat of animals harvested in Greater Fairfield...
Maine is protecting thousands of acres to help deer survive the winter Septembe 29, 2022, Bangor Daily News
... “Today, we mark the state’s largest conservation project to protect deer wintering habitat, which will help restore this once iconic species in northern Maine and renew the hope of sportsmen and women across our state.” Thursday’s announcement brings to 37 the number of new conservation projects approved by the Land For Maine’s Future board since the Legislature approved $40 million ...
2022 Maine Moose Hunt Underway September 26, 2022, Q106.5
... The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued 3,968 permits were be issued this year. 550 cow permits were issued for the Adaptive Unit Moose Hunt. 71,966 applications for moose permits were received this year...
Maine Deer Spy September 15, 2022 Maine, MDIFW News
Do you enjoy watching deer? Do you want to help Maine’s biologists better understand the white-tailed deer population? Become a citizen scientist for the Maine Deer Spy project! Volunteers are needed across the state and everyone can participate...
Deer yard protection: SAM leads the charge August 30, 2022 Maine, Piscataquis Observer
... Trahan said that “predation and habitat loss have led to the collapse of the deer population in northern, eastern and western Maine. At one time, 10 percent of the landscape was deer wintering habitat. Now it is just 3 percent!” ..,
Keeping Maine's deer population healthy and controlled July 26, 2022 newscentermaine.com
... Officials say Maine's deer population probably numbers around 310,000, which is similar to where it was in the 1990s... Bieber said ... "By and large statewide, Maine can support more deer," ... The perfect deer number might be different for a gardener whose plants are being eaten than for a hunter..,
Maine Deer Spy July 26, 2022 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
... To bolster our understanding of whitetail recruitment patterns in the state, we’ve created a citizen science project to solicit help from Maine’s citizen scientists. This project, Maine Deer Spy, allows deer and wildlife enthusiasts as well as Department staff around the state to record and report their deer sightings in a way that feeds right back into Maine’s deer management...
Maine seeks to quash challenge to Sunday hunting ban June 21, 2022 The Center Square
...Opponents of the ban filed a lawsuit in state Superior Court in April, arguing the restrictions violate the state's new voter-approved "Right to Food" law ... Opponents of lifting the restrictions argue that hunting is allowed every other day, and hikers and bird watchers should be granted at least one day to enjoy the woods ...
Maine Played a Big Roll in Disney's 'Bambi' June 17, 2022 94.9 HOM
...In the novel, Bambi was a roe deer from the European Forest. Unfortunately, there are no roe deers in North America, so Disney was forced to find another type of deer to play Bambi... would have to go to Maine to find a white-tailed deer ...
A Maine Couple Is Suing the State for the Right To Hunt on Sundays May 28, 2022 Reason Magazine
... Maine's new "right-to-food" constitutional amendment is the subject of its first lawsuit. The suit was filed in April by two hunters in the state who argue the amendment provides ample basis to overturn a draconian statewide ban on Sunday hunting. "The Sunday hunting ban is superseded by the Right to Food Amendment," ...
Maine plans to slash deer permits by 37 percent this season May 26, 2022 Bangor Daily News
... “We expect hunters to more eagerly harvest does with antlerless deer permits than they would with any-deer permits,” ... With the added incentive of putting two deer in the freezer, DIF&W believes the new system would help it move closer to the doe harvest goals it has not been able to achieve in recent years...
Winter ticks intensify their assault on moose in northwestern Maine May 19, 2022 YAHOO!News
... Sixty of 70 radio-collared calves — or 86 percent — in Wildlife Management District 4 died as a result of winter ticks, said Maine Wildlife Division Director Nate Webb... Winter tick infestation is exacerbated by a warming climate, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The parasite now survives in greater numbers in Maine's core moose range than ever before ...
This mostly white deer survived another year in the Maine woods May 4, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... A piebald deer ... some tan/brownish fur on its head and ears, but otherwise was mostly white ... piebalds have the deck stacked against them as they often are afflicted with conditions that impact organ systems or skeletal structure...
Maine Looks to Shake Up Deer Hunting Regulations and Increase Deer Habitat April 21, 2022 Field & Stream Magazine
... Under the plan ... the DIFW would institute a deer lottery that would allow hunters to harvest both a doe and a buck. The lottery would be free to enter, but hunters who are drawn would have to pay a $12 fee for the permit... could raise $800,000 annually for Maine’s deer management fund ...
Toxic discovery: Wildlife contaminated with PFAS found in Maine April 18, 2022 Maine, KOMO News
... This past fall, five deer sampled in Fairfield, just outside of Augusta, tested positive for PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." ... because the deer forage on the edges of fields and forests, the contamination is likely in the soil ...
Changes are in store for Maine deer permits -- including a fee for the first time April 14, 2022 Yahoo News
... part of a dramatic shift in deer management strategy designed to thin the herd in southern and central Maine while protecting the scant deer population in the rest of the state... For the first time, hunters would be charged a fee — $12 — to obtain a deer permit...
Maine biologists save deer with wire wrapped around waist March 31, 2022 WGME Portland
... She was regularly seen around a neighborhood with wire fencing wrapped around her waist... the doe walked within range of the dart projector ... they quickly snipped the piece of old fencing wire ...
Evidence of a rare tick-borne virus found in Maine deer March 20, 2022 Bangor Daily News
... According to the University of Maine 2021 Tick Surveillance Report, only 29 lone star ticks were reported in Maine in 2021. Of those, 17 were associated with people traveling to Maine from other states... “Heartland is an emerging infectious disease that is not well understood,” ...
Deer yard protection law bears fruit February 22, 2022 Piscataquis Observer
... A recently enacted law, LD 404, An Act to Preserve Deer Habitat, allocates part of $40 million for the outright purchase of critical deer wintering areas... Deer yards used to comprise about 12 percent of our big woods. Today that figure is a dismal three percent...
Brownville man’s deer-feeding venture keeps growing February 9, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... He'll then drive the vehicle around his property and fill troughs with the oats, along with apples and acorns ... Deer scatter across the land ... unaware of the webcams streaming their activity to thousands of viewers on Facebook and YouTube...
Maine moose hunt lottery now open through May 12 February 2, 2022 Spectrum News
... The state received 71,966 applications and issued 3,968 permits in last year’s lottery...
Deer in Aroostook County are getting help to survive the winter January 27, 2022 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... The number of deer in northern Maine has been significantly reduced over the last 50 years due in part to commercial forestry operations... the state is ramping up its efforts to rebuild the deer population through the development of wintering areas ...
Governor Mills Announces Five New Land for Maine's Future Conservation Projects January 26. 2022 Maine.gov
... The round of projects also reflects for the first time the goals of LD 404, An Act to Preserve Deer Habitat, which was approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor last year, by giving preferential consideration to projects that conserve deer wintering habitat. The Caribou Stream Deer Winter Area project, approved yesterday, will conserve 930 acres of priority deer wintering habitat in Woodland and Washburn in Aroostook County....
Seeing the good in a spring bear hunt January 22, 2022 Maine, Lewiston Sun Journal
... n the St. Lawrence seaway, Anticosti Island’s whitetail deer population is flourishing with upwards of 50 deer per square mile... the Anticosti deer have no natural predators. There are no coyotes or black bears on this island...
A record deer harvest goes against the grain December 25, 2021 Maine, Sun Journal
... Vermont has seen a 20% increase in hunting license sales the past few years. And in Maine, there has been at least a 10% increase in hunting license sales the past couple of years...
What is the ideal doe-to-buck ratio for Maine’s deer herd? December 19, 2021 Portland Press Herald
... Biologists have determined that holding the herd at somewhere around 70% of biological carrying capacity produces optimum sustained yield ... social or cultural carrying capacity... often somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% or less of biological carrying capacity ... That’s the objective in many parts of southern and central Maine ...
Maine's deer harvest was the highest in 53 years December 13, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... Only 15 to 17 percent of deer hunters in Maine successful ... hunters killed 38,889 deer ... [data] The all-time record was established in 1959 when 41,735 deer were tagged...
Outdoors advocacy group wants Maine to create instate lab to test for 'forever chemicals' December 6, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... “It caught us by surprise that this made it into deer; not just the liver, but in the meat of the deer,” ... polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were discovered in well water near a dairy farm in Fairfield in 2020... the equipment needed to perform PFAS testing costs approximately $450,000 ...
State wildlife officials to expand PFAS testing of deer December 2, 2021 Maine, newscentermaine.com
.... State wildlife biologists plan to expand testing of deer and other game following the discovery of high levels of the toxic chemicals known as PFAS in deer meat from the greater Fairfield area ... The source of the contamination is wastewater sludge ...
Hunters are on track to kill the most Maine deer since LBJ was president November 30, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... an unofficial total of 33,157 deer were tagged by the state’s hunters ... This year’s total is the highest since 38,153 deer were tagged back in 2002...
Maine found 'forever chemicals' in deer, but has no idea how widespread the problem is November 24, 2021 Yahoo
... in the Fairfield area ...Five of the eight deer tested by the state were found to have high levels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), manufactured materials often referred to as "forever chemicals." They are used in numerous industrial and household products, and have been found to present health risks in humans...
Do not eat deer advisory issued for greater Fairfield area November 23, 2021 Maine, MDIFW News
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in conjunction with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), has detected high levels of PFAS in some deer harvested in the greater Fairfield area and is issuing a do not eat advisory for deer harvested in the area...
Warmer summers worsen tick infestations for US moose November 22, 2021 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... moose have more ticks during winters following particularly warm summers, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution... In the state’s northeast, the population is down from more than 8,000 in the mid-2000s to 3,000-4,000 today...
Maine biologists are worried about deer getting COVID — and giving it to each other November 8, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... among Iowa deer studied between April 2020 and January 2021, nearly 80 percent had detectable levels of COVID-19... deer have the potential to emerge as a major reservoir host” for the coronavirus ...
Maine hopes for successful deer hunt to control herd October 29, 2021 Bangor Daily New
... Nathan Bieber, deer biologist for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said while populations in southern and central Maine are stable, things are more in flux in northern and western regions...
Outdoors in Maine: The need for an any-deer permit overhaul October 16, 2021
Sun Journal
... Too many Maine deer hunters are keeping their doe permits as an ace in the hole and holding out late into the season for that trophy buck. Fall after fall ...
The state can’t get people to kill enough Maine deer October 6, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... The main proposal would change the either sex (any-deer) permit to an antlerless permit. ... “We don’t want people sitting in their deer stand on opening day and watching all these does go by thinking, ‘oh, if only it were the last day I would take one of these,’” ...
Old Town Police help pull deer out of pool September 20, 2021 Maine, Bangor WABI-TV
... deer eating her shrubs on the front lawn. When she went to shoo it away, Janice heard a splash ... the cover was preventing it from swimming over to get out...
Maine Deer Spy August 31, 2021 IFW News
... Do you enjoy watching deer? Do you want to help Maine’s biologists better understand the white-tailed deer population? Become a citizen scientist for the Maine Deer Spy project! Volunteers are needed across the state and everyone can participate...
Many game populations in solid shape as seasons approach August 22, 2021 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... a 40% increase in any-deer permits, up from last year’s previous all-time high of 109,990. Under Maine’s time-tested any-deer permit system hunters have failed to meet harvest objectives in recent years, largely in central and southern areas...
Helping Maine's deer survive winter is focus of Presque Isle meeting July 23, 2021 The County
... a new law to help Maine’s deer population better survive extreme winters... an issue Maine has been struggling with for a few decades, as wintering areas have declined. The 1970s spruce budworm, industrial logging and a robust coyote population have contributed to the problem...
Maine Deer Spy July 19, 2021 Maine.gov
... To bolster our understanding of whitetail recruitment patterns in the state, we’ve created a citizen science project to solicit help from Maine’s citizen scientists. This project, Maine Deer Spy, allows deer and wildlife enthusiasts as well as Department staff around the state to record and report their deer sightings in a way that feeds right back into Maine’s deer management. The data that we receive will be used as a secondary source of recruitment data and to increase confidence in our understanding of whitetail recruitment patterns throughout Maine...
Good news for deer yards July 17, 2021 Maine, Lewiston Sun Journal
... lack of deer wintering areas are the main cause in the decline of whitetail deer, particularly in Western, Eastern and Northern Maine. Predation on deer by coyotes and bears is the No. 2 cause of dwindling deer numbers... IF&W will now receive funds to actually purchase these significant deer-wintering areas ...
Maine will be better able to protect deer during the winter thanks to an influx of money July 14, 2021 Bangor Daily News
... The state budget has earmarked $40 million from the Land for Maine’s future program, which for the next four years will help support efforts to protect deer wintering areas. And recent legislation will empower the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s efforts to purchase and manage that habitat in northern, western and eastern Maine...
Good news for Maine's deer herd! July 6, 2021 observer-me.com
... LD 404, an Act to Preserve Deer Habitat, a deer-yard protection measure, is a done deal! ... In a deep-winter state like Maine, deer wintering areas, or yards, are a critical component of deer survival ... deer yards have declined from 12 percent of the forest to just three percent ...
Outdoors in Maine: A glance at new fish and wildlife laws June 28, 2021 Lewiston Sun Journal
... the landmark deer-yard protection bill pushed hard by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, and a most significant and needed measure, was bogged down with the outcome uncertain...
Maine Bans Consumer Use of Neonicotinoid Insecticides, with Some Exceptions June 18, 2021 Beyond Pesticides
... Maine legislature passed, and Governor Janet Mills has now signed, a new law that will prohibit use of neonicotinoid pesticides with the “active ingredient[s] dinotefuran, clothianidin, imidacloprid or thiamethoxam used for application in outdoor residential landscapes ... Back in March, Beyond Pesticides reported on endemic levels of neonic contamination in the state’s deer population...
Deer yards: landmark legislation May 18, 2021 Maine, observer-me.com
... deer biologist Gerry Lavigne, told the legislators recently that lack of deer wintering areas are the main cause in the decline of whitetail deer, particularly in Western, Eastern and Northern Maine. Predation on deer by coyotes and bears is the number two cause of dwindling deer numbers...
Studying Maine's moose May 10, 2021 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
... Maine’s moose population is stable in its core habitat range. However, the proliferation of winter tick due to climate change is impacting the health and reproduction of the moose population throughout Maine and much of North America. MDIFW’s goal for managing moose into the future is to have a healthier moose population where reproduction is higher, calf survival is greater, and parasites (such as winter tick) are lower.
MDIFW biologists have been closely monitoring and studying the impact of winter tick since 2014. Although adult moose survival remains high, winter tick is the leading cause of death for moose less than one year of age, and winter tick reduces birth rates for adult female moose.
State biologists propose 40% increase in any-deer permits this fall May 4, 2021 Maine, pressherald.com
... In 2019, state biologists estimated Maine’s deer population at 230,000 to 250,000. Today, Bieber said, the population is likely 280,000 to 300,000 ... The 153,910 permits would dwarf last year’s total of 109,990, which was an all-time high... the doe harvest was 39 percent below objective..,
Deer reduction program stopped April 4, 2021 Maine, Mount Desert Islander
... “It really didn’t work ... It was a lot of effort and it just wasn’t worth it.” ... there were 12 does and three bucks harvested in 2018 versus five does and nine bucks in 2019...
Doe permits aren't managing the herd March 23, 2021 Maine, observer-me.com
... We’re issuing a lot of permits and not seeing a proportional increase in doe harvest, which can only happen if a lot of permits aren’t being used.” ... Too many deer hunters are putting in for doe permits but holding out for that dream buck!...
The Livestream of Maine Deer Feeding Is Wicked Fun To Watch March 4, 2021
wcyy.com
... According to the description on their YouTube Channel, the pantry "feeds approximately 400 pounds per day of native oats (local) to help sustain the white-tailed deer population through rough winters here in central Maine." ...
Maine lawmaker proposes bill to authorize 'deer baiting' February 22, 2021 WGME
... Trahan [ David Trahan of the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine] says with deer hunting permits at an all-time high, and a record number of deer harvested last fall, there is no need to using baiting to manage the deer population...
New bill could allow hunters to take does without permits in parts of Maine February 22, 2021 Maine, WGME
... overpopulation of deer, particularly in coastal areas of Maine and in York County... The deer population in the northern half of the state is just the opposite...
This trail camera deer has only 3 legs, but that’s no cause for alarm February 3, 2021 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... The animal looks remarkably robust, and certainly looks to be thriving. Jones explained that he regularly sees that deer, along with 10 others, as they visit the buffet of peas that he feeds them...
What you need to know about wildlife bills DIF&W is supporting January 13, 2021 Maine, Bangor Daily News
...LR 98, An Act To Allow the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife To Authorize the Hunting of Antlerless Deer without a Permit in Certain Areas: The DIF&W believes we have far too many deer in some places — mostly along the coast and in York County ...
How does Maine rate as a deer-hunting state? January 10, 2021 pressherald.com
... age structure. A more balanced distribution means a healthier herd and better odds for a big buck. Nationwide, the proportion of yearling bucks in the harvest has been on a steady downward trend and hit a record low of 30 percent in 2018... Maine came in slightly above that at 39 ..,
Man rescued from icy water after trying to save deer Januay 5, 2021 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... A Maine Game Warden releases a deer on the shore of Long Lake In Princeton. The deer went through the ice and a local man tried to save it before falling through the ice, too. Both were rescued...
Watch deer gather in rural Maine in these live webcams December 23, 2020 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... To help sustain a deer herd through winter, Brownville created a deer pantry where hoofed friends can stop by for a snack. With daily feedings at 9 a.m...
2020’s deer harvest was the highest in 18 years December 18, 2020 Maine,
Bangor Daily News
... an unofficial total of 33,157 deer were tagged by the state’s hunters ... we had a record number of any-deer permits this year, which helped facilitate that [high] number ..,
Big bucks are a badge of honor for Maine deer hunters November 22, 2020 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... In other parts of the country harvesting a deer with an enormous antler spread is the apex of hunting success. But in Maine, body size wins, especially with deer weighing more than 200 pounds... it’s just a cultural thing ...
Watch a deer nursing fawns late in the season in these trail cam photos November 9, 2020 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... “Nursing as late as November suggests that additionally the fawns were probably born later than normal. It’s possible their mother is a very young mother. If younger deer are bred, it tends to be later in the breeding season because they cycle into estrus later,” ...
There's plenty to consider when sizing up which doe to take November 8, 2020 Maine, pressherald.com
... Older does also teach their offspring how to survive in their local environment. Unlike bucks, which more often disperse from their natal home range as yearlings, does tend to stay closer to home, often establishing a home range nearby, adjacent to or overlapping their mother’s home range. Biologists call this the rose petal effect ...
NRCS offers opportunities to conserve deer in Aroostook, Washington counties October 22, 2020 Maine, fiddleheadfocus.com
... The 2021 deer initiative is focused on improving winter habitat conditions for white-tailed deer that occur within the northern limits of their range — Aroostook and Washington counties. During harsh winters in northern Maine, deer must find mature forested habitat to survive...
Moose hunt begins in Maine September 28, 2020 Maine, WMTW Portland
... This is the 40th year of the modern moose hunt in Maine, which resumed in 1980 after being closed since 1936... In all, 3,135 permits were issued to hunt moose in Maine this year. More than 59,000 people applied to the moose lottery...
Knowing the history of Maine deer hunting a window into state of today’s herd September 27, 2020 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... the deer kill, which rose from 5,829 in 1920 to 39,216 in 1950 ... Between 1933 and 1934 the deer killed dropped by more than 5,000, mostly due to severe winter loss, similar to what occurred in the early- and mid-2000s..,
Do your part to keep Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) out of Maine September 14, 2020 Maine DIFW
... If established in Maine, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) may have devastating impacts on the state’s deer and moose herds, our hunting heritage, and Maine’s economy. CWD has never been found in Maine, but it has been found in wild cervid populations in 24 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces and captive populations in 17 states and three provinces..,
This Photo Of A Deer Is Breaking People's Hearts In Maine August 19, 2020 wcyy.com
... What if this is a birth defect? It appeared to some that this doe's face was actually two faces, and that the extremely rare phenomenon known as diprosopus ... the doe's body looks filled out and colorful, meaning she seems to be eating and drinking properly...
Read More: This Photo Of A Deer Is Breaking People's Hearts In Maine | https://wcyy.com/this-photo-of-a-deer-is-breaking-peoples-hearts-in-maine/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral
2019-20 Game Species Conservation & Management August 18, 2020 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
... Maine’s deer hunters registered 32,451 deer during the 2018 hunting
seasons and 28,323 during the 2019 hunting seasons...
Maine IFW approves record number of any-deer permits August 12, 2020 Portland Press Herald
... State biologists say the hefty boost in permits is needed to reach the state’s doe-harvest goal of 13,000 to reduce the state’s white-tailed deer population of nearly 300,000..,
Record number of permits expected to be granted as deer hunting season approaches August 5, 2020 Maine, WCSH-TV Portland
... A 50,000 increase from last year. “That gives you a real good idea of the health of the herd right now," ..,
How to keep deer out of your garden August 3, 2020 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... An estimated 94 percent of Maine is considered habitat for deer ... deer are less attracted to things like onions, garlic, rhubarb and “fuzzy, spiky” plants like squash and cucumbers... perennials like black-eyed susan, foxglove, cardinal flower and bergamot ... a list of deer resistant plants from Maine.gov ..,
Maine Deer Spy July 8, 2020 MDFW
... To bolster our understanding of whitetail recruitment patterns in the state, we’ve created a pilot project to solicit help from Maine’s citizen scientists. This project, Maine Deer Spy, allows deer and wildlife enthusiasts as well as Department staff around the state to record and report their deer sightings in a way that feeds right back into Maine’s deer management...
Roadkill Reduced During Lockdowns, but Traffic is Increasing Again July 1, 2020 Smithsonian
... The study by UC Davis compared this year’s reported roadkill rates to around the same time of year in 2015 through 2019 ... Most animals killed by cars are deer and elk... in Maine, which had the highest daily roadkill rate of more than 15 animals per day on average, the stay-at-home order reduced roadkill by 45 percent...
Record doe permits proposed for fall deer hunt June 15, 2020 Maine, observer-me.com
... Bieber said that there had been over the past 10 years a consistent under-harvest of does ... The buck-to-doe ratio in Maine, says Bieber, is about 2.5 does to 1 buck ... no doe permits being issued in Maine’s northernmost wildlife management districts ..,
Maine biologists seek a record 100,000 any-deer permits for first time May 20, 2020 Portland Press Herald
... an all-time high of 109,890 ...the under-harvested does last year did not meet our harvest goal, so we have to issue far more permits. That, coupled with the very mild winter we had last winter resulted in a higher than typical over-winter survival of deer. ... State biologists now estimate the statewide deer population at close to 300,000 ..,
Maine Moose and Winter Ticks May 1, 2020 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Maine’s core moose population has remained relatively stable over the last ten years, but this comes after a century of fluctuation. Maine’s moose population experienced a severe decline to an estimated 2,000 individuals in the early 1900s. However, with improved hunting restrictions and forest regeneration, the moose population experienced significant growth into the 1990’s to an estimated 29,000 and likely reached their highest population by the year 2000. Pioneering new techniques MDIFW estimated moose at around 76,000 in 2012. Since the recovery, climate change has begun to influence the success and proliferation of winter tick, leading to poor reproduction and low calf survival past one year of age. Without intervention, biologists believe that the population will likely destabilize ..,
The wildlife Maine has lost in the past 200 years February 29, 2020, Maine, WGME
... Wolves, caribou ... Many local extinctions can be traced back to unregulated hunting in the 1800s ... the Maine wilderness has shrunk and changed dramatically ... caribou have roamed North America in herds for an estimated 2 million years... the last sighting coming out of the Katahdin Region in 1914..,
DIFW's Deer Feeding Report and Recommendations February 3, 2020 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... Last year, we provided $18,000 of feeding support to 51 feeders. We used to use only oats and barley as a mix, as recommended by the state deer biologist at the time, but now we saw that alfalfa bales have been used in Canada. Last year, we experimented with using 38 round bales of alfalfa for feeding deer. This year ACCA bought 120 bales of alfalfa hay...
Is it ethical to hunt at deer yards? December 29, 2019 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... I posed the question to the nearly 40,000 members of the Maine Deer Hunters Facebook Group for discussion ... the theme remained the same. “It’s a killing field up there,” ... They condemned the practice of hunting in a deer yard ...
Big-game harvests in Maine down from last year, as expected December 11, 2019 Maine, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
... The preliminary harvest number for the deer hunt – which continues through Saturday for muzzleloaders and archery in certain areas – is around 28,000, according to IFW, down from 32,451 harvested in 2018. Webb said the reduction was expected because the state issued fewer any-deer permits, which allow hunters to shoot a doe in order to help control the deer population...
Meet the unlikely pair that help hunters find wounded deer December 8, 2019 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... Aldo is Ware’s wire-haired dachshund — a diminutive species that was intentionally bred to track wounded animals... A badly-wounded deer will tend to lie down as soon as it feels safe, where it will likely expire. But if startled, it may run much farther before dropping ...
Chronic Wasting Disease - You Can Help Keep It Out Of Maine November 27, 2019 Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
... If established in Maine, CWD may have devastating impacts on the state’s deer and moose herds, our hunting heritage, and Maine’s economy... Hunters are prohibited from importing cervid (e.g. deer, elk, moose, and caribou) carcasses and certain cervid parts from all jurisdictions except New Hampshire. This includes the temporary importation of cervid carcasses and parts that are in-transit through Maine to another jurisdiction...
Maine hunters on track to harvest more than 30,000 deer this year November 21, 2019 Bangor Daily News
... “Typically, about 82 to 86 percent of our total harvest is from the regular firearms season,” Bieber said. “This should all put us on track to be fairly close to last year’s total harvest.” In 2018, Maine hunters registered 32,451 deer ...
Among dominant bucks, yearlings dominate the population November 10, 2019 Maine, Kennebec Journal
... Yearlings account for nearly 50 percent of the state's annual buck harvest, in part because of their impetuous behavior ... Before implementing mandatory antler restrictions, Pennsylvania’s annual buck kill consisted of 85 percent yearlings. It now averages around 43 percent... roughly 70 percent of yearling bucks leave their home range and strike out for parts unknown...
Lobster fisherman rescue deer swimming 5 miles from shore November 5, 2019 Maine, UPI.com
... netted 5 miles off the coast of Maine -- a disoriented swimming deer... "Couldn't let the poor guy suffer and drown," ...
The highs and lows of tourism October 9, 2019 Maine, Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel
... The number of hunters and anglers visiting Maine is significantly reduced, especially in the North Woods, where our deer herd has disappeared... Claybrook Mountain Lodge east of Kingfield as an example. When Greg and Pat Drummond opened their lodge, deer hunting was their most profitable business. Today it is their least profitable and they haven’t shot a deer in seven years..,
History of Maine Moose Hunt October 7, 2019 Bangor Daily News
... Early 1900s: The state’s moose population drops to just a few thousand, statewide, after years of unrestricted hunting, including market hunting, by which animals would be shot and then sold for meat, and the continued clearing of forests for farmland..,
What a slow first week could mean for the rest of moose season October 3, 2019 Maine, Observer-ME.com
... 560 of 850 permit-holders — 65.9 percent — filled their tags during the season that ran from Sept. 23-28... A year ago, 79.6 percent of the September moose hunters were successful. In 2017, 78.5 percent ... Kelso said he’s not seeing as many moose as he used to ...
This cool tool will let you see how many moose (or deer, or bears) hunters have tagged September 23, 2019 Maine, Observe-me.com
... that data is available instantly. All you need is a phone, tablet or computer, and the ability to navigate to the DIF&W’s Harvest Information page ... A year ago, the state unveiled its web-based big game registration program. The program required tagging station staffers to enter information into a computer ...
Maine by the numbers: We add up some of the key indicators August 25, 2019 Sun Journal
... Maine has an estimated deer population of 260,000 to 290,000, according to Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife spokesman Mark Latti... roughly 35,000 to 40,000 bears ...
Wildlife group is mapping out Maine’s roadkill hot spots July 27, 2019 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... an online system that allows the public to report animals killed by vehicles so they can be mapped... a joint undertaking of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Maine Audubon and University of California-Davis...
State deer permits drop by 20 percent after hearty doe harvest July 11, 2019 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... the statewide deer herd – now an estimated at 230,000 to 250,000 white-tailed deer ... The state recorded 32,451 deer taken last season ..,
Mainers come to the rescue of baby deer on Stanley Pond July 5, 2019 Maine, newscentermaine.com
...With the help of another boat, they directed the fawn toward shore, watching to make sure it eventually got into dry land... Facebook comments on Stocks' original video post were filled with gracious remarks ...
MDIFW moose biologist honored with international award June 18, 2019 Maine, WAGM
... “Maine has the most progressive and scientific moose management program in the United States, and Lee is the engine that drives that - he is most deserving of the award,” ...
Ticks kill 50 percent of moose calves in Maine, but that's not the case in the rest of North America June 17, 2019 The Keene Sentinel
... in some years, more than 50 percent of moose calves in the research study have succumbed after serving as hosts to thousands of ticks... [Minnesota]: We had a very high neo-nate mortality. And two-thirds of that was wolf predation,” ...
Deer numbers showing improvement in County June 15, 2019 Maine, Sun Journal
... in some Aroostook County townships the lynx, a federally listed endangered species, was more prevalent than deer ... The deer situation has improved some in the County, but tough winters and continued predation holds back the recovery of deer numbers ... coyote packs take down deer year-round, it’s the deer in wintering areas that are the most vulnerable ...
Deer Baiting Debated June 7, 2016 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... Legislation to allow deer baiting drew strong opposition from the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine, Maine Professional Guides Association, and Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, pretty much guaranteeing it will be defeated ...
Hard winter took toll on Aroostook deer herds June 5, 2019
Bangor Daily News
... “On the whole, it was a very severe winter in northern Maine,” ... comparable to the winters of 2008 and 2009 in terms of its impact on the deer herd ... more hunters and landowners in northern Maine are showing interest in planting food plots for deer ..,
Any-deer permits by district June 3, 2019 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... The winter of 2018-19 was mild to moderate in central, southern, and coastal Maine and severe to very severe in northern Maine and the western mountains. This resulted in average to above-average estimated survival rates in central, southern, and coastal Maine and below-average survival rates in northern and western Maine..,
Biologists propose 16,600 fewer any-deer permits for 2019 season May 30, 2019 Maine, Bangor Daily News
... scaled back the proposal for this year’s permit allocation by 19.6 percent, to 68,145... a decrease year-over-year, the total is still the second highest for any-deer permits in the past 15 years..,
Year Deer Permits Deer Hunters
2019 68,145 (Registered)
2018 84,745 32,438
2017 66,050 27,233
2016 45,755 23,512
2015 28,770 20,325
Moose permit increase approved, but any-deer hunting permits may be reduced May 21, 2019 Maine, Portland Press Herald
... because of the high number of does taken last season ... proposed issuing 68,145 any-deer permits for the fall hunt, a 20 percent reduction from last year’s record number of 84,745... Severe winter conditions in northern and western Maine this year ... [population] estimated at 230,000 to 250,000 white-tailed deer ..,
Deer winter in towns to avoid predators April 18, 2019 Maine, WAGM
... "We had the spruce bud worm outbreak, in the '70s and '80s, and there was a lot of salvage logging that went on. They lost a lot of their cover, and right at the same time the coyote showed up." ...
Despite deep snow, deer numbers strong heading into spring April 13, 2019 Maine, WAGM
... The deer population is holding steady, making it through a severe winter that brought more than 13 feet of snow to The County [Aroostook] ... Wildlife Biologist Shawn Haskell says ....
Maine Deer Archive: Population and Management, Deer in the News, Disease, Suburban Management, Transportation
Maine data: The state estimated 310,000 to 320,000 in 2022, commenting that the state habitat can support more deer. An estimated 280,000 to 300,000 deer, or about 290,000 in 2021 and a proposed increase in deer permits for the 2021-22 hunt. A state estimate of 300,000 deer in spring of 2020 as a result of a mild winter and low doe harvests resulting in a buck-to-doe ration of about 2.5 to 1. A record number of any-deer permits in 2020 contributed to the highest kill in 18 years, also a higher than average percent of yearling bucks taken. 2020 Big Game Report. 2020 Deer Population Goals. See the historical population estimates at the bottom of this column. Lower deer numbers in the north, east, and west as a reult of habitat loss and predation.
A state deer population estimate range of 260,000 to 290,000 in 2019, or about 275,000 deer. The Maine deer biologist put the estimate at 230,000 to 250,000, or about 240,000 deer in 2018. The state issued a record number of doe permits to reduce the population in 2018 but is reducing the number by 20 percent in 2019 in part because of severe winter in northern and western Maine. A trend of lower populations in the north.
A population of up to 240,000 estimated for mid-2017 with up to 225,000 in 2016. Populations have been supported by mild winters in 2015-16 and 2016-17, a mild to moderate winter in 2017-18. A severe winter in 2018-19, but deer populations held steady in some areas. Hunting permits increased for 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. In November, 2015, an estimated 211,000 deer reported in the press but the graphic below puts the number around 228,000 for 2015. The estimate may have been updated later when there was more information.
Estimated Maine Deer Population 1955 to 2015
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 2017 Big Game Management Plan p. 39
A digitized version of the graph
From the Big Game Management Plan: "Maine’s deer population grew prolifically through the late-80s and 90s, with the impetus for growth resulting from the regulatory system that limited doe harvest, plus a series of mild winters. During this time, Maine’s deer population grew to an estimated all-time high of 331,000." (p. 39) "Maine utilizes the number of bucks harvested per/100mi to determine whether the state’s deer population is declining, stable, or growing."
The mild 2015-16 winter allowed populations to rebound following the harsh winter of 2014-15. Dwindling deer winter habitat has stressed the herd, particularly in the north. Any-deer permits proposed to increase by 60% in 2016 to 45,775. In order to reduce hunting pressure Maine issued fewer any-deer permits in 2015, 28,770 compared to 37,185 for the 2013-14 season. The 2015 deer harvest fell by 9.6%. Bucks were 73 percent of the harvest. The number of deer hunters trended higher from 2011 to 2016.
The 2014 deer population was declining as a result of the severe winter. A 19 percent winter deer mortality rate was estimated for the north in 2013 - 2014. In response, the number of "any deer" permits for the 2014-15 hunt was reduced by 9,525 to 37,185, further cuts of 23 percent are in place for 2015. The 2014 harvest was 78.4 percent bucks, 196,146 deer hunting licenses were sold, probably about 160,000 hunters participated. A 65 percent success rate.
The population rebounded somewhat in 2013 and trended higher from 2010 as a result of mild winters, but the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 winters were the 14th and 11th worst winters for deer since the 1950s. Two consecutive severe winters in 2008 and 2009 significantly reduced the herd and decimated the northern herd which has not recovered, the total population fell to about 140,000. Doe hunting was been prohibited in northern Maine for years. "Between the mid-1950’s and early 1960’s, MDIFW estimated Maine’s deer population at 250,000."
The reported number of deer harvested during 2012 was 21,553; the 2011 harvest was 18,170, only slightly above the 2009 figure which was the lowest in decades, with a total of 18,092. In 2010, the total was 20,063, with a significant increase in the number of yearling bucks sporting multi-pointed antlers and a decrease in the percentage of antlerless deer taken.
A recent study suggests changes in forest management may be "indicative of declines in extent of deer wintering habitat throughout the Northern Forest Region" [Study in PDF file] Or more directly from a hunting guide: "when they started cutting deer yards, they pretty much wiped out the deer herd in northern Maine. The deer population in the Southern region rebounded to near pre-2008 levels. Maine's Game Plan for Deer [PDF] Deer habitat, particularly for wintering, has declined dramatically in Maine over the last 25 years. Deer history from the 1997 assessment. Parts of Maine can support 40 to 60 deer per square mile without forest damage according to former deer biologist, Gerry Lavigne.
History: First restrictions on deer hunting were applied in 1830, season set at Sept. 1 through Dec. 31, with no bag limit. The first bag limit was set in 1873, three deer per hunter per year reduced to two deer in 1895, and to one in 1925. A ban on Sunday hunting began in 1883. Between the mid-1950s and early 1960s the department estimated Maine’s deer population to be 250,000, and 35,000 to 40,000 deer were harvested annually. During the 1960s, harsh winters, wintering habitat loss, coyote colonization, and increasing hunting pressure resulted in the population declining to approximately 141,000. For more history see the 2017 Big Game Management Plan starting on page 35.
Toxic Chemicals In 2021 state agencies detected high levels of PFAS [Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances] in some deer harvested in the greater Fairfield area and and issued a do not eat advisory for deer harvested in the area with additional advisories in 2022.
Moose After years of unrestricted hunting, the moose population fell to just a few thousand by the early 1900s. Moose hunting was closed in 1936 and resumed in 1980. An estimated 50,000 to 70,000 in early 2018 and early 2019. About 60,000 to 70,000 in 2016. Estimated at 76,000 moose in 2012 that had been somewhat stable, but a radio collar study indicated a 30 percent winter mortality rate for adult females in 2014. As in many states, winter ticks are driving populations down. Moose permits were reduced by 25 percent, further reductions in 2016. Population estimates for moose improved with the 2015 number at 60,000 to 70,000. In 2023, 70,000 hunters applied for about 4,000 hunting permits.
Caribou were once native to Maine. By the late 1800s there was still a healthy herd, but commercial hunting rapidly depleted their numbers. The last known native was illegally shot on Mt. Katahdin in 1908. Caribou had been in North America for an estimated 2 million years. Maine has tried twice unsuccessfully, once in 1963 and again in 1986-1990, to reintroduce caribou to the North Woods. They were either killed by predators, perished from brain worm, or simply moved.
Bear, the state estimated a range of 35,000 to 40,000 bears in 2019 and 2020.
Coyote, not native to Maine were first found in Maine in the early 1960s and 1970s. An estimated 15,000 coyotes in 2019. A rough estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 in 2023. The Eastern coyote has about 8 to 25 percent wolf DNA and that percentage is expected to increase, making the animals larger.
Cougar (Mountain Lion) The last know cougar killed in Maine in 1938, unconfirmed recent sightings
