Hunters Enjoying More Older Bucks Growth has boomed since with an estimated population today of 700,000 750,000 white-tailed deer. A 2021 estimate puts mule deer at a population of between 90,000 130,000. There are more than 490,000 acres of wildlife management areas in West Virginia. States With Minimal Deer Populations. Deer play vital roles in the natural and cultural environment of New York and are highly valued for their beauty and grace as well as the utilitarian benefits they provide. White-tailed deer, also known as whitetails or Virginia deer, are a common game animal in the United States. Michigans many deer are all white-tails. White-tailed deer dominate Texas, being found in 252 out of 254 counties across the state with an estimated population of 5.3 million. . The Coues deer are most commonly found in the southeastern mountains but also up through the Mogollon Rim and White Mountains. In 1927 a huge flood in the eastern part of the state forced deer into small areas of high ground where they were unfortunately picked off by opportunistic hunters. They will lose these spots after a few months. Nebraska. Read more about white-tailed deer in Michigan at Michigan.gov. About 74,000 hunters participated in the state's 2017 spring turkey season, and killed 33,000 birds. These sika deer were originally from Japan and were released from private property in Maryland during the early 1900s. Wolves and mountain lions, their natural predators, no longer live in the state. In Wisconsin, there have been 1,822 entries for the buck, which is . North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: white-tailed deer overview. Ohio's average harvest compiled from the past three seasons is 184,746 deer. There were fewer than 500 deer left at the time. The peak population over the last 25 years was in 2015 with an estimated White-tailed deer are an abundant and sustainable game species in Louisiana and the species most targeted by Louisiana hunters. I am a freelance writer with 22 years of experience. It may be that monitoring of this species separate from overall deer in the state has not yet been established. Arizona Game & Fish: deer hunting rules and regulations. Everything You Want To Know About Muntjac, What Do White-Tailed Deer Eat? Iowa has produced some of the largest bucks in the history of our country. As in other states, deer tend to live in different regions. The overall size, length, and branches on antlers depends on how well-fed the deer is, how old it is, and some is just genetics. Despite this, the deer population has remained stable for many years. Lets find out. Making deer dependent on human feeding can make them more vulnerable to predators, diseases, and vehicle collisions. Loss of habitat too many deer in a forested area can completely eat through the green understory. The state attracts more deer hunters than almost any other. Hunting of black-tailed deer is allowed, and at the time of writing this article so is hunting of mule and white-tailed deer, in order to help get more information on these new populations entering the state. In the early 1900s laws regulating deer hunting were passed but did little good as they went unenforced for the most part. So what are the problems that come with too many deer? Deer hunting is a huge sport in the state, and the 2020-21 season saw a whopping 435,180 deer harvested, one of the largest in the country. Icon. Deer are found throughout the state with three subspecies broken up by geographic location. While the white-tailed deer more or less stop east of the Rocky Mountains, the mule deer take over west of the Rockies. Delaware hunters reported harvesting 15,383 deer during the 2021/22 hunting season, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. State wildlife biologists were concerned about damage from these non-native deer, but monitoring programs have found they coexist peacefully with the states native species. The data are then monitored over time to improve deer management and inform decisions about harvest goals. The state does not count its two species separately. However Texas is also home to mule deer, who live in the Trans-Pecos and Panhandle regions. It is important they have access to both the cover provided by the forest and the grazing in open areas and along the forest edge. Mule deer are found in the western third of the state, mainly in the High Plains, Smoky Hills and Red Hills regions. 27. 2021 population numbers listed by the state estimate 293,950 mule deer and 212,814 white-tailed deer. Arkansas nearly lost its deer population. Wyoming is home to both mule deer and white-tailed deer. Besides hunting, deer watching is a popular activity among visitors to the states parks and wildlife management areas. Market hunting decimated the states population by the late 1800s. The state is also home to the rare, endemic Key deer, which is the smallest subspecies of white-tailed deer. Deer are a favorite big game animal. This 2015 article states the Arizona Big Game Management estimated Coues population at about 50,000-60,000 deer. Spring Spotlight Survey Results, 2022 The states Department of Natural Resources says these deer are abundant in every county and habitat of West Virginia. The Largest Deer in the World Do you know which species of deer are the largest? There are approximately 5.6 Million White-tailed deer in Texas. The state says its population is well-managed and sustainable. If you see a sick or abnormally thin deer or deer dead of unknown causes, please report its location to the CWD hotline: (866) CWD-WATCH (293-9282) . State Harvest Statistics 2022 - 2023 Deer Statistics for Alabama # of Deer reported: 195241 # of antlered reported: 102366 Public Land. Population estimates for recent years put the white-tailed deer numbers around 850,000 1 million. The 2,500 hunter sample size is more than adequate, statistically, to produce precise . The Oklahoman reports the estimated deer population today at around 750,000. The total population estimate for deer living in the U.S. is approximately 35-36 million. Ready for more deer facts? Spotlight surveys have been used by biologists nationwide since the mid-1900s and are effective for monitoring population trends, determining the distribution of species, identifying habitat use, and predicting disease outbreaks. In some areas, state wildlife officials have increased the number of hunting permits to help bring down deer populations. It is easy to see deer in most U.S. state parks, reserves, and even suburban yards. Mule deer population trends are of concern in Montana, where declines in abundance and hunter harvest have been documented in many areas throughout the state. New Mexico is home to mule deer, Coue deer, and Texas white-tails. Most other western states have between 100,000 to 540,000 deer per state. To try and combat this, the state has a community deer management assistance program, that includes additional licenses hunters can obtain to harvest deer on private properties, with landowner permission. They also state the greatest density of deer can be found in Rockingham, Hillsborough and Cheshire counties, as well as along the Connecticut River Valley in Grafton County. Florida Coastal White-tailed Deer (panhandle and northwestern portion of the state), Florida White-tailed Deer (northwestern, central and southern portion of the state). Arizona is home to two main types of deer, the mule deer and the white-tailed deer. Nebraskas deer population includes 300,000 white-tail deer and 130,000 mule deer. Recently the state has been increasing their any-deer (does or bucks) permits in an effort to bring down the population due to complains about too many deer and high levels of Lyme disease in certain areas. In general, black-tailed deer occur in the western half of the state, while white-tailed and mule deer occur in the eastern half. This 2021 article in the Observer-Dispatch reports a white-tailed deer population of approximately 1.2 million. Virginia has a healthy population of white-tail deer. Coat color tends to be more reddish-brown in the spring and grayish-brown during winter. Estimated at 314,850 in 2020, down from 372,500 in 2018. This includes during the winter and early spring, they feed on Douglas fir, western red cedar, red huckleberry, salal, deer fern, and lichens growing on trees. The main deer population in Utah is mule deer, with a 2021 estimate of 314,850. Population has been on a slow increase for many years. The most recent number listed on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks site estimates 1.75 million white-tailed deer in the state. Iowa's most recent . Alabama: 25 deer per square mile. Deer enjoy eating mushrooms, nuts, berries, pumpkins, spinach, and apples. . Producers working to lower deer populations in their fields have found that these early hunts are critical in reducing the total number of female deer over the course of the year. They are mostly herbivores who eat browse, which is a collective term for all types of roots, twigs, bark, grass, leaves, and other vegetation. They are most populous on the western Great Plains, in the Rocky Mountains, the southwestern states, and on the west coast of North America. Hunters in southwest Michigan will be able to use a firearm from Nov. 15, 2020, through Jan. 1, 2021, except for Dec. 1-3. . Sounds good for hunters, but populations this high can be problematic. The Mississippi State University Extension says only Texas has a larger deer population. 2021 population numbers listed by the state estimate 293,950 mule deer and 212,814 white-tailed deer. Alaska Department of Fish & Game: deer hunting information and regulations. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. While overall population is down from the peak years of the mid to late 1990s, density of deer still remains a problem in many suburban parts of the state. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure. Oregon has two species of white-tail deer. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Each year, DNR compiles county-level deer data across Indiana. Deer populations are actually higher than they were historically in many areas, or they are at the point of exceeding the carrying capacity of their local environment. By 1930 less than 500 deer remained. 5) South Dakota: Deer population around 300,000. Plant them closer to your house, and put a border around them of stronger smelling plants such as lavender, mint or garlic. 20+ Foods, Discover The Largest Whitetail Deer Ever Recorded, The 4 Best Deer Repellents: Reviewed and Ranked, How and Where Do Deer Sleep? Animal husbandry and agriculture also grew, removing forested land in favor of farming. At that time, many state wildlife agencies were formed with the goal of conserving the nation's depleted wildlife resources. There is a great timeline of deer management through the years on the wildlife departments website. The 2020-2021 deer season showed hunters how . White-tailed deer are a popular game animal found in almost every part of the United States. Survey data is collected by field biologists using aerial and ground surveys in the . On Saturday, February 18, 2023, staff from CPW were able to recapture and refit the collar on male wolf 2101 near North Park. In the early 1900s not many deer remained in Alabama after overhunting, estimates were down to about 2,000. Hunting seasons, bag limits, deer restocking and habitat restoration are just a few of the management practices that sprung up. Controlled hunting laws have kept the population stable. This is the only deer species in the state, and it is a huge conservation success story. Deer are an important game animal in Georgia, and the state is among many that used conservation efforts to increase its population of these deer. The Axis deer, also known as the chital, is native to the Indian subcontinent. The following population estimates were taken from state government websites and other authoritative sources. They are also an important food source for the endangered Florida panther. Caption: Ohio's deer archery hunting season . The mule deer working group states it is difficult to estimate black-tailed deer numbers, however the 2004 estimate of 320,000 is likely close as the population has been stable since then. They live in every state of the country, and their numbers are stable. The state banned hunting in 1841, and the deer population increased. Mule deer are the most populous, and the state combines its counts of Coues and white-tailed. While overall the deer population is considered to be stable, the migratory populations in the Sierra Nevada and the black-tailed deer in the northwest are likely in decline, while suburban populations are increasing. Since 2015, the statewide deer harvest has increased sharply, to a record high of 14,757 last year, with more deer killed east of 495 than the central and western parts of the state combined. With laws enacted and amount of farmed land decreasing, deer began to rebound. As any gardener knows, deer also eat fruits, vegetables, and flowers.