2012-13 Deer Season Results Are In
Photo from FWS.gov
Maryland hunters harvested 87,541 deer during the bow, muzzleloader and firearm seasons combined (September 7, 2012 through January 31, 2013). The harvest shows an 11 percent decline compared to last year’s total of 98,029 deer. Biologists attribute the drop to multiple factors, including reduced hunter participation, an abundant acorn crop that changed deer movements, and a lower deer population in some areas.
“With deer hunters enjoying record harvests over the previous four seasons, the decline did not come as a surprise,” said Brian Eyler, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) deer project leader.
The 2012-2013 statewide harvest includes:
- 29,366 antlered and 55,763 antlerless white-tailed deer
- 1,127 antlered and 1,285 antlerless sika deer
The harvest in deer management Region A (Garrett, Allegany, and western Washington counties) declined 16 percent from 10,358 deer last year, to 8,675 deer this year. Region A hunters reported 5,043 antlered and 3,632 antlerless deer.
Deer hunters in Region B (the remainder of the State) harvested 78,866, down 10 percent from last year’s 87,671 deer. The Region B harvest was comprised of 25,450 antlered and 53,416 antlerless deer.
Hunters harvested 6,255 deer on the Sundays open for deer hunting. Archery hunters harvested 1,172 deer on Sundays, while firearm hunters reported 5,083.
Frederick County led the harvest totals this year with 7,634 deer, followed by Baltimore County with 5,991 and Washington County at 5,762. Montgomery County and Carroll County completed the top five counties with 5,598 and 5,579 deer, respectively.
Click here to view the all results by county.
Hunters with any questions may contact DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-260-8540.
I agree acorns effected deer movement this year. However, in the Licking Creek area of Washington County, it appears to me that there are fewer deer too. I would vote on decreasing the number of doe allowed to be kill per year. I would recommend 1 per season.
Dave Zook
David,
Thanks for your input! I have passed along to our Wildlife and Heritage Unit.
Karis King
DNR Office of Communications
Iam also seeing less deer in Somerset Co. Is threr a sickness around?
Hi Charles,
The huge acorn crop this year kept most deer in the woods and not needing for forage for food. It’s when deer are foraging distances that we see most of them.
Patricia Handy (Allen)
DNR Wildlife and Heritage
Information & Education Program Manager
Is there any estimate on the number of deer killed by motor vehicles. In my part of Southern Prince George’s County there seems to be about one carcass per mile through the year, extrapolated by the total number of country miles it maybe a substantial number of deer taken out of the population.
Thank You,
Mike
Mike,
There are an estimated 34,000 deer-vehicle collisions in Maryland each year.
Brian Eyler
Deer Project Leader
I don’t know but up here in almost Maryland (Cumberland) there is for sure less bucks than in years pass. there needs to be limits on both buck and does and some QDMA areas on DNR Lands.
I live north of the Loch Raven Res and and have been seeing large herds of deer (again) in the vicinity. 20 to 30 near Towson Golf & CC… 13 near Boordy Vin… about 20 just off Williams Rd above Valley View farms and 9 – 11 in my back yard.